Newest theories on Zika

peregrinefalconx · February 2016

A friend of mine forwarded this to me:

https://gmwatch.org/news/latest-news/16706

The summary is that they believe that a larvacide in Brazil, to kill the mosquitoes may be causing the brain deformations (and not the virus). Just a hypothesis at this point, but Brazil is the only place that has shown the condition, as far as I know. As somebody who came back from Aruba during this whole mess, it is somewhat comforting. My prayers do go out to the women, children and families who have been affected like this.

Whitmore1027 · February 2016

Thanks for the post! Here are my thoughts regarding Zika Virus... (NOTE: No...I am not an expert. This is just my thoughts based on all the research I have done, as well as the doctors I have talked with)

I PERSONALLY do not believe it's just the Zika Virus causing the brain defects. If people actually do research they will see that Zika is NOT a new virus, and has broken out in other countries before without having Microcephaly cases. Plus, they have already concluded that many of the thousands of children originally "diagnosed" with microcephaly in Brazil was in fact not true. (apparently they told doctors to document if a child was born with a head circumference less than 33cm, when in fact many of those cases were normal children with just small heads that developed perfectly).

I have also seen some articles stating that it could be a mixture of having Dengue in the past, with the added Zika Virus may have caused it. So as long as you haven't had Dengue, then getting Zika isn't a threat. I have seen articles of people thinking it's a vaccine, or combination of a vaccine or the pesticides causing it.

In conclusion...it is sooo blown out of proportion. There isn't even a lot known about it yet. Yes it's good to be safe (wear bug spray, I mean you should do that ANYWAY). Zika has been around for YEARS and YEARS. There has got something more than just the Zika Virus causing the birth defects. But you can't live in fear.

One last thing...I won't go trapsing through the Brazilian rainforest knowing the possibility of it. But I wouldn't have done that even if I wasn't pregnant. But I am going on a 7 day cruise tomorrow to the Caribbean. I won't be getting off the ship and I'll be using Deet, but I am not letting this rule my life. Just like I am still willing to drive with crazy ass drivers out there putting my life at risk.

I am sad for the people who are enduring this. I put them in my prayers everyday.

Whitmore1027 · February 2016

Haha I read the article after I posted. But I like how it brings these key points (of which I have seen in other articles)

"They also noted that Zika has traditionally been held to be a relatively benign disease that has never before been associated with birth defects, even in areas where it infects 75% of the population."

"There is no sound evidence to support the notion promoted by some sources that GM mosquitoes can cause Zika, which in turn can cause microcephaly. In fact, out of 404 confirmed microcephaly cases in Brazil, only 17 (4.2%) tested positive for the Zika virus."

peregrinefalconx · February 2016

Yeah, I talked a big talk before going to Aruba, about not living in fear, etc. And I was armed with stats, research, doc opinions, and the idea "I'll just wear spray." Well, I got bitten over 25 times in the first two days. Not the same mosquito (these were little brown guys) and we weren't near anyone. But LO was kicking like crazy the whole trip and by the end, I was a complete wreck, thinking I could have messed her up. My anxiety got the better of me!

It's funny, because I asked some random car rental young woman if she was worried about it getting to Aruba. Her answer (literally): We don't have Zika in Aruba!!! And anyway, I don't think it exists."

Whitmore1027 · February 2016

@Peregrinefalconx Yes, I definitely am the same way as far as having my stats, research, not living in fear. But that definitely doesn't mean I won't take precautions. Bug spray, Bug spray, Bug spray! Doctor said use the lotion and the spray. Haha. And I KNOW if I did get bit, I would still freak out!! I even had a nightmare a couple nights ago wear I got bit once and I was sooo worried for my LO.

michellabanana · February 2016

Do you think microcephaly was undiagnosed in Brazil over the years? Maybe they didn't record babies who had it or babies who did have it were not on record? Because I think in some research, it said the year, before the statistics for babies who were born with it was extremely low.

I mean it doesn't explain the extreme numbers now, but I just wondered about it.

GinnyJ2012 · February 2016

I have yet to read a scientific resource about the increase in microcephaly coming from a vaccine. I did some research and some were saying it was caused by a TDaP vaccine that was recently released in Brazil (it's different than the American one). But again I can't find anything scientific to support this claim.

goldie987 · February 2016

I could be wrong but I believe they looked back at an outbreak from a few years ago in the Pacific islands and found an increase in microcephaly during that outbreak. Due to a small population size, they didn't notice it until they went back and did a big analysis. Zika has been around in Africa for a few decades but it hasn't been around in the Americas until recently. My personal belief is it's like CMV where the problem is only if the initial exposure occurs during pregnancy. CMV also causes microcephaly but a large portion of the population is exposed as children so it isn't an issue (eta since I had the presence of mind to look up actual numbers, 50-85% of the US population will be infected with CMV by age 40. It causes very few symptoms and if it does, it usually is mistaken for a simple cold). Give it a few years and immunity/exposure will spread and we'll see cases of microcephaly start to go down.

Also, I saw that same story posted on natural news which is pretty much the most unscientific conspiracy theory oriented site I've ever seen.

alohasoprano · February 2016

Sgoldberg247 said:

I could be wrong but I believe they looked back at an outbreak from a few years ago in the Pacific islands and found an increase in microcephaly during that outbreak. Due to a small population size, they didn't notice it until they went back and did a big analysis. Zika has been around in Africa for a few decades but it hasn't been around in the Americas until recently. My personal belief is it's like CMV where the problem is only if the initial exposure occurs during pregnancy. CMV also causes microcephaly but a large portion of the population is exposed as children so it isn't an issue. Give it a few years and immunity/exposure will spread and we'll see cases of microcephaly start to go down.

Also, I saw that same story posted on natural news which is pretty much the most unscientific conspiracy theory oriented site I've ever seen.

^^^ this. thank you.

HBamama2B · February 2016

Everything @sgoldberg247 said. It's always important to check your source for articles like these.

Unknown · February 2016

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