Stillborn Without Brain In Brazil Adds To Zika Concerns

The case of a stillborn without a brain has health experts worried that zika virus could do more harm than earlier thought.

According to Fox News, a case study report of a newborn whose Brazilian mother was infected with the virus hints the virus could be linked to a condition called hydraencephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with fluid instead of a brain. Brazil has seen a spurt in microcephaly cases and the evidence that these cases could be caused by zika is growing. The case study adds to those concerns.

"This case report provides evidence that in addition to microcephaly, there may be a link between Zika virus infection and hydrops fetalis and fetal demise," the authors of the case study said in the journal Plos Neglected Tropical Disease. "Given the recent spread of the virus, systematic investigation of spontaneous abortions and stillbirths may be warranted to evaluate the risk that ZIKV infection imparts on these outcomes."

The CDC is now investigating possible cases of sexual transmission of the virus after clues emerged that the virus can survive in the semen of an infected man. Screening for zika is not easy as most infected adults do not show symptoms. The health agency has also cautioned pregnant women against travel to Brazil to attend the 2016 Rio Olympics. Reuters reported.