The terror of the Zika virus who feel on the skin
Matthew Lima had big dreams for his son. But they vanished in the time of delivery. The most likely explanation at present is that a mosquito infected his wife, Marcelina Kleisse during pregnancy, irreversibly affecting the lives of small Pietro, who suffers from microcephaly.
"When (Pietro) was born was like a bomb. He had so many dreams. I wanted him to practice sport, tease, be healthy and strong," said Matthew AFP, sitting beside his wife, Kleisse, a Sister Dulce hospital ward in Salvador, one of the states hardest hit by the explosion of cases of babies born with microcephaly in the country.
In Brazil, the Ministry of Health adopted the measure 32 cm brain perimeter to identify babies with possible microcephaly, a malformation that is associated with infection of pregnant women by Zika virus, transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, whose outbreak erupted in 2015 country and has spread throughout much of Latin America.
See also: The city's cry for help zika where the virus emerged in Brazil
"I had Zika in the fifth month of pregnancy. I went to the doctor and he told me that there was no risk to the baby. But when he was born on 22 November, we were told they had microcephaly and would never be a normal child" He lamented Kleisse, 24, two years older than her husband.
This is the first child and Kleisse not stopped crying since birth. "Today I am more quiet, but still afraid for the future of my son," he said. "Will he be able to walk or talk?" He wonders.
The small Pietro stirs restlessly in his father's arms. The body is more rigid and stronger than the head of a child with normal development of the brain, at the same age, a feature of babies with microcephaly.
The infirmary fans calm the hot summer weather we are experiencing now in the country. This free Catholic hospital serves poor families and, as happened to the family of Matthew and Kleisse, there are other cases of babies who have been diagnosed with malformation.
"I picked up the Zika virus in pregnancy and was told that would not happen at all, but in the eighth month detected microcephaly. From that moment did not sleep more," says Ana Paula Santos, 34, while holding the arms daughter Flavia, a month and a half, which also stirs uneasy.
BRAZIL-HEALTH-ZIKA- MICROCEPHALIA
Of amazement to action
The pediatric neurology department of Sister Dulce hospital is busy, as has been habit every Wednesday since November, when he decided to dedicate this day only to cases of microcephaly because of the increasing number of cases.
On the first day they received six cases. Two weeks later, 19. And to avoid a collapse created a schedule that already has a waiting list. "We are on alert, running to find solutions. We've been astonished by the stage we are now in action," he told AFP Janeusa Primo, chief of pediatric neurology of the hospital.
"This is a global public health problem. The virus may have entered Brazil through the World Cup and is no longer just here. And still being discussed other possible modes of transmission beyond the bite of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, such as transmission through sex, "he warns.
To avoid infection, the safest at the moment is to avoid the sting of this insect that thrives in moist tropical summers, and also transmits other diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya.
In Brazil, the alert was triggered in October when an outbreak of cases of microcephaly was detected in the Northeast. Since then, they were recorded 4,180 suspected cases of the malformation, and 270 have already been confirmed. During 2014, 147 babies were diagnosed with microcephaly.
Brazilian officials and scientists have identified a possible link between the increase in cases and the Zika virus, although there is no unanimity on this hypothesis.
The frame Zika virus is more moderate than that of Dengue with malaise, fever and sometimes rashes. But the possible transmission of the virus from pregnant women to their children can be devastating.
Difficulty speaking, hearing or vision, motor and cognitive changes are as microcephaly characteristics and vary according to the damaged area of the brain. The defect is visually detectable in infants, while passing through a series of tests for an accurate diagnosis.
From the diagnosis, which must be as quick as possible, recommended is a process of stimulating not compromised areas. Meanwhile, scientists are trying to gather information about pregnancy, infection of Zika and other diseases.
"If I knew, would have been more careful, have used repellent. We are bitten by mosquitoes all his life, but now this happens," lamented Kleisse. Her husband, Matthew, sums up the feelings of frustration the couple: "Mosquito hell!".
Matthew Lima had big dreams for his son. But they vanished in the time of delivery. The most likely explanation at present is that a mosquito infected his wife, Marcelina Kleisse during pregnancy, irreversibly affecting the lives of small Pietro, who suffers from microcephaly.
"When (Pietro) was born was like a bomb. He had so many dreams. I wanted him to practice sport, tease, be healthy and strong," said Matthew AFP, sitting beside his wife, Kleisse, a Sister Dulce hospital ward in Salvador, one of the states hardest hit by the explosion of cases of babies born with microcephaly in the country.
In Brazil, the Ministry of Health adopted the measure 32 cm brain perimeter to identify babies with possible microcephaly, a malformation that is associated with infection of pregnant women by Zika virus, transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, whose outbreak erupted in 2015 country and has spread throughout much of Latin America.
See also: The city's cry for help zika where the virus emerged in Brazil
"I had Zika in the fifth month of pregnancy. I went to the doctor and he told me that there was no risk to the baby. But when he was born on 22 November, we were told they had microcephaly and would never be a normal child" He lamented Kleisse, 24, two years older than her husband.
This is the first child and Kleisse not stopped crying since birth. "Today I am more quiet, but still afraid for the future of my son," he said. "Will he be able to walk or talk?" He wonders.
The small Pietro stirs restlessly in his father's arms. The body is more rigid and stronger than the head of a child with normal development of the brain, at the same age, a feature of babies with microcephaly.
The infirmary fans calm the hot summer weather we are experiencing now in the country. This free Catholic hospital serves poor families and, as happened to the family of Matthew and Kleisse, there are other cases of babies who have been diagnosed with malformation.
"I picked up the Zika virus in pregnancy and was told that would not happen at all, but in the eighth month detected microcephaly. From that moment did not sleep more," says Ana Paula Santos, 34, while holding the arms daughter Flavia, a month and a half, which also stirs uneasy.
BRAZIL-HEALTH-ZIKA- MICROCEPHALIA
Of amazement to action
The pediatric neurology department of Sister Dulce hospital is busy, as has been habit every Wednesday since November, when he decided to dedicate this day only to cases of microcephaly because of the increasing number of cases.
On the first day they received six cases. Two weeks later, 19. And to avoid a collapse created a schedule that already has a waiting list. "We are on alert, running to find solutions. We've been astonished by the stage we are now in action," he told AFP Janeusa Primo, chief of pediatric neurology of the hospital.
"This is a global public health problem. The virus may have entered Brazil through the World Cup and is no longer just here. And still being discussed other possible modes of transmission beyond the bite of the mosquito Aedes aegypti, such as transmission through sex, "he warns.
To avoid infection, the safest at the moment is to avoid the sting of this insect that thrives in moist tropical summers, and also transmits other diseases such as dengue, yellow fever and chikungunya.
In Brazil, the alert was triggered in October when an outbreak of cases of microcephaly was detected in the Northeast. Since then, they were recorded 4,180 suspected cases of the malformation, and 270 have already been confirmed. During 2014, 147 babies were diagnosed with microcephaly.
Brazilian officials and scientists have identified a possible link between the increase in cases and the Zika virus, although there is no unanimity on this hypothesis.
The frame Zika virus is more moderate than that of Dengue with malaise, fever and sometimes rashes. But the possible transmission of the virus from pregnant women to their children can be devastating.
Difficulty speaking, hearing or vision, motor and cognitive changes are as microcephaly characteristics and vary according to the damaged area of the brain. The defect is visually detectable in infants, while passing through a series of tests for an accurate diagnosis.
From the diagnosis, which must be as quick as possible, recommended is a process of stimulating not compromised areas. Meanwhile, scientists are trying to gather information about pregnancy, infection of Zika and other diseases.
"If I knew, would have been more careful, have used repellent. We are bitten by mosquitoes all his life, but now this happens," lamented Kleisse. Her husband, Matthew, sums up the feelings of frustration the couple: "Mosquito hell!".