Microcephaly Isn’t The Only Threat Zika Virus Poses To Newborns

The most commonly known birth defect caused by Zika virus is microcephaly, a condition in which an infant’s head circumference is smaller than average. It can indicate brain damage and lifelong learning and mental disabilities for the child.  Now a new study is shedding light on yet another serious condition that can Zika virus can cause in infants.  Arthrogryposis, a condition in which the body’s joints are malformed, preventing normal flexion and extension, should be added to the list of potential consequences for newborns whose mothers were infected with Zika virus, according to researchers in Recife, Brazil. Before 2015, arthrogryposis in infants had not been linked to a maternal viral infection. Instead, it was usually linked to fetal akinesia, when a fetus does not move around enough in the womb for multiple reasons. Not counting Zika-linked cases, arthrogryposis is relatively rare, affecting only one in 3,000 children. To put that in context, cerebral palsy, the most common motor disability in childhood, occurs in as many as four babies out of every 1,000 live births. The new study was a small case series involving seven babies born with arthrogryposis in Brazil. Lead researcher Vanessa van der Linden of the Barão de Lucena Hospital in Recife concluded that “congenital Zika virus syndrome,” a disease that describes birth defects caused by exposure to Zika virus in the womb, should be added to the list of potential caus...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news