There's a new virus called Zika spreading in South America, and on Monday it was declared a "public health emergency of international concern" by the World Health Organization, officially establishing it as a serious threat.
Zika, which has no cure, has been documented in the United States, but only among travelers. And itmay be linked with two more serious complications:
- A dangerous birth defect known as microcephaly
- A rare but often temporary disorder where the immune system attacks its own nerve cells
Here's a rundown of the good and bad news about the virus.
First, the good news: Zika israrely fatal (no deaths have yet been documented in people with Zika virus and no other illnesses). Symptoms of the virus are similar to those of a cold or fever.
And the bad news: It may be linked with a dangerous birth defect known as microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads. The CDC is also working to determine if there may be a link between Zika and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a rare disorder where your immune system attacks itself, damaging the nerve cells and leading to muscle weakness and occassionally paralysis. In general, symptoms of GBS last anywhere from several weeks to a few months. Most people fully recover, but others may have permanent damage. In rare cases, it can be fatal.
