The Zika virus is gathering ever more attention as it spreads across the globe. It reached the United States last month, and the first case in Europe was confirmed a few days ago, the BBC reports.
In many areas of South America, where the epidemic began, the virus itself is old news, but the potentially devastating consequences are just beginning to surface.
The Zika virus is believed to be related to microcephaly, a serious birth defect associated with abnormal brain development. In Colombia, the number of pregnant women being infected with the virus is reaching critical mass.
Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos said that more than 3,000 pregnant women have been infected with the virus, but said that the disease has not caused any cases of microcephaly.
However, there’s increasing evidence that the Zika virus is the agent behind the birth defect. Researchers recently tested the spinal fluids of 12 babes born with microcephaly and found the Zika virus in all 12 cases, PBS reports. Their mothers had all shown symptoms of the Zika virus early in their pregnancy.
