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"The Zika is more serious dengue and chikungunya" neurologist Carlos Pardo
Wednesday, March 2, 2016| Author: Editor of El Pa?s.
"The Zika is more serious dengue and chikungunya" neurologist Carlos Pardo
Carlos Pardo, a Colombian researcher at Johns Hopkins University neurologist.
Colombian neurologist Carlos Pardo Villamizar, a specialist in inflammatory diseases of the brain and director of the Research Center myelitis Johns Hopkins, Maryland, United States, spoke of Neuro Project Zika Colombia, which seeks to study the epidemic Zika in their own ground. He also referred to the newly created Red NEAS, or emerging network analysis neuroviruses in the Americas (neuroviruses Emergent in the Americas Study).
The specialist spoke with El Pa?s at the end of his presentation at the XII Colombian Congress of Neurology, held in Cali under the leadership of the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at ICESI University, Yuri Takeuchi, a specialist in neurology Foundation Valle del Lili.
What is the network to study the Zika?
Different groups in Colombia are working to characterize the neurological and inflammatory problems caused by Zika virus. NEAS is a collaborative study is focused on the Universidad del Valle, because there is where you are doing laboratory tests for diagnosis of the virus. Valle University is designing the epidemiological study as well.
What other entities are involved?
The study are associated other institutions at the national level: ICESI, Cali universities; Pamplona and the Meoz Erasmus Hospital in C?cuta; of Antioquia, the Free and North, in Barranquilla; Surcolombiana of Neiva, the Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, and other colleagues interested in investigating neurological problems.
And there is also international cooperation ...
International institutions such as Johns Hopkins Hospital are collaborating to facilitate technology transfer and research groups in Colombia can make the diagnosis and evaluation of neurological problems. That is already being done.
What will the investigations?
The group of the Universidad del Valle has already established diagnostic tests virus by molecular biology. Different groups have contributed evaluation of patients, biological samples that researchers are being analyzed in Colombia and so is understanding better what is happening with neurological problems caused by the virus Zika, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome , myelitis (inflammation of the cord) and encephalitis (brain inflammation). It is a cooperative, multicenter, horizontal collaboration in which someone is not necessarily running, but all are participating in and contributing equally.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome, myelitis and encephalitis are sequelae in adults or children?
Our group is focused on inflammatory problems of the Central Nervous System (CNS) in adults. We are not talking about microcephaly, a similar theme, but it is being taken by other research groups. A part of the group is also interested in maternal and fetal problems and microcephaly, but we in the crippling complications caused by Zika.
What findings have?
We are in the initial phase of assessment of the problem because the Zika came to Colombia in October 2015 and has seen an increase and expansion of the epidemic in different regions of the country, and outbreaks or increases in cases of paralyzing neurological diseases such as Guillain-Barre syndrome , myelitis and encephalitis. We do not have figures of our studies. There are between 120 and 140 cases, data from the National Institute of Health, NIH.
What is the hypothesis of how the virus works in such a way that causes these crippling diseases?
We think the virus may be causing an immune reaction that produces inflammatory diseases of the CNS or peripheral nervous system, SNP. Or that the virus may be directly attacked areas, structures or components of the nervous system, such as peripheral nerves. But that's part of the investigation, what we're trying to figure out.
Or it is that Zika was more severe dengue or chikungunya?
Exactly. One of the observations is that the problems associated or are we presume by Zika infection can cause more neurological problems that dengue. In other words, the aggressiveness Zika virus is much greater than that caused by dengue if we did try- and may even be much greater than that produced by chikungunya.
Although his research is not Zika effects on the fetus, which we can advance the matter, because in Colombia there are more than 6000 infected pregnant ...
There is concern that it may present a similar phenomenon observed in Brazil, but we are at a very early stage of research. The virus entered Colombia last October and pregnancy takes nine months: if there will be more similar to those of Brazil cases, we will see between May and June. It is premature to have a conclusion about it in Colombia.
The test to detect the virus is effective in the first five days of having contracted ...
Not necessarily. And that's a research that is being done. Studies in other countries suggest that the virus can remain in the body longer time. And compared with dengue and chikungunya, the virus can be detected in other fluids such as saliva and urine. We are investigating whether this is a reality in the Colombian population also.
And the sexual transmission? They say that was already confirmed in a couple ...
Yes, but that is the subject of research, and there are few cases are under consideration. Now you can not assume or have a very reliable conclusion from that.
What advice to pregnant women?
The most important thing is to follow the standards set by MoH and the INS. Monitoring protocols moms in Colombia are already established, the most important thing is that they come to these controls.
How do you think the MoH and the INS have handled the alert system related to the outbreak of Zika?
Colombia was and is more prepared than they were Brazilians to confront the epidemic and we better off because we are alert to problems microcephaly. There is already a very good awareness of the onset of neurological sequelae, education campaigns have been effective and intent of the MOH and the INS is a campaign of surveillance of maternal-fetal neurological problems and is implemented.
If the risk of microcephaly is 1 per 1000 live births, why others would not give them 999?
Those are numbers are arbitrary. The risk is not known.
What is involved microcephaly?
Microcephaly is a neurological problem of brain development in utero. The consequences are different. There is definitely neurodevelopmental problems in the future there may be problems with seizures, learning disabilities, vision, hearing, is a fairly diverse clinical manifestations complex. Microcephaly is a massive disruption of brain development and that has very severe consequences.
And what life has forecast a newborn with this diagnosis?
One thing is the prognosis (life) and the other the amount of neurological sequelae. It depends on the magnitude of the problem of brain development that these children have: some may have problems enough accented development, which will produce quite severe clinical manifestations, and others may have fewer developmental problems and obvious, the magnitude will be smaller. In any case, the consequences are quite difficult because many of these children will have neurodevelopmental effects that will have consequences for the rest of life.
Profile
Dr. Carlos Pardo Villamizar is Associate Professor of Neurology and Pathology at Johns Hopkins University, United States.
He is a clinical neurologist and principal investigator Neuroimmuno-pathology laboratory. It is also a neurologist at the Multiple Sclerosis Center, a member of the Research Group of neurosciences HIV and Transverse Myelitis Center.
The lines of clinical research and laboratory of Dr. Pardo focus on studies of mechanisms will inmunopatol?-cal and Molecu-neuroimmune dollars associated with disorders such as transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis, NeuroAIDS, epilepsy and autism.
http://www.elpais.com.co/elpais/sal...e-dengue-y-chikungunya-neurologo-carlos-pardo
"The Zika is more serious dengue and chikungunya" neurologist Carlos Pardo
Wednesday, March 2, 2016| Author: Editor of El Pa?s.
"The Zika is more serious dengue and chikungunya" neurologist Carlos Pardo
Carlos Pardo, a Colombian researcher at Johns Hopkins University neurologist.
Colombian neurologist Carlos Pardo Villamizar, a specialist in inflammatory diseases of the brain and director of the Research Center myelitis Johns Hopkins, Maryland, United States, spoke of Neuro Project Zika Colombia, which seeks to study the epidemic Zika in their own ground. He also referred to the newly created Red NEAS, or emerging network analysis neuroviruses in the Americas (neuroviruses Emergent in the Americas Study).
The specialist spoke with El Pa?s at the end of his presentation at the XII Colombian Congress of Neurology, held in Cali under the leadership of the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at ICESI University, Yuri Takeuchi, a specialist in neurology Foundation Valle del Lili.
What is the network to study the Zika?
Different groups in Colombia are working to characterize the neurological and inflammatory problems caused by Zika virus. NEAS is a collaborative study is focused on the Universidad del Valle, because there is where you are doing laboratory tests for diagnosis of the virus. Valle University is designing the epidemiological study as well.
What other entities are involved?
The study are associated other institutions at the national level: ICESI, Cali universities; Pamplona and the Meoz Erasmus Hospital in C?cuta; of Antioquia, the Free and North, in Barranquilla; Surcolombiana of Neiva, the Industrial de Santander, Bucaramanga, and other colleagues interested in investigating neurological problems.
And there is also international cooperation ...
International institutions such as Johns Hopkins Hospital are collaborating to facilitate technology transfer and research groups in Colombia can make the diagnosis and evaluation of neurological problems. That is already being done.
What will the investigations?
The group of the Universidad del Valle has already established diagnostic tests virus by molecular biology. Different groups have contributed evaluation of patients, biological samples that researchers are being analyzed in Colombia and so is understanding better what is happening with neurological problems caused by the virus Zika, such as Guillain-Barre syndrome , myelitis (inflammation of the cord) and encephalitis (brain inflammation). It is a cooperative, multicenter, horizontal collaboration in which someone is not necessarily running, but all are participating in and contributing equally.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome, myelitis and encephalitis are sequelae in adults or children?
Our group is focused on inflammatory problems of the Central Nervous System (CNS) in adults. We are not talking about microcephaly, a similar theme, but it is being taken by other research groups. A part of the group is also interested in maternal and fetal problems and microcephaly, but we in the crippling complications caused by Zika.
What findings have?
We are in the initial phase of assessment of the problem because the Zika came to Colombia in October 2015 and has seen an increase and expansion of the epidemic in different regions of the country, and outbreaks or increases in cases of paralyzing neurological diseases such as Guillain-Barre syndrome , myelitis and encephalitis. We do not have figures of our studies. There are between 120 and 140 cases, data from the National Institute of Health, NIH.
What is the hypothesis of how the virus works in such a way that causes these crippling diseases?
We think the virus may be causing an immune reaction that produces inflammatory diseases of the CNS or peripheral nervous system, SNP. Or that the virus may be directly attacked areas, structures or components of the nervous system, such as peripheral nerves. But that's part of the investigation, what we're trying to figure out.
Or it is that Zika was more severe dengue or chikungunya?
Exactly. One of the observations is that the problems associated or are we presume by Zika infection can cause more neurological problems that dengue. In other words, the aggressiveness Zika virus is much greater than that caused by dengue if we did try- and may even be much greater than that produced by chikungunya.
Although his research is not Zika effects on the fetus, which we can advance the matter, because in Colombia there are more than 6000 infected pregnant ...
There is concern that it may present a similar phenomenon observed in Brazil, but we are at a very early stage of research. The virus entered Colombia last October and pregnancy takes nine months: if there will be more similar to those of Brazil cases, we will see between May and June. It is premature to have a conclusion about it in Colombia.
The test to detect the virus is effective in the first five days of having contracted ...
Not necessarily. And that's a research that is being done. Studies in other countries suggest that the virus can remain in the body longer time. And compared with dengue and chikungunya, the virus can be detected in other fluids such as saliva and urine. We are investigating whether this is a reality in the Colombian population also.
And the sexual transmission? They say that was already confirmed in a couple ...
Yes, but that is the subject of research, and there are few cases are under consideration. Now you can not assume or have a very reliable conclusion from that.
What advice to pregnant women?
The most important thing is to follow the standards set by MoH and the INS. Monitoring protocols moms in Colombia are already established, the most important thing is that they come to these controls.
How do you think the MoH and the INS have handled the alert system related to the outbreak of Zika?
Colombia was and is more prepared than they were Brazilians to confront the epidemic and we better off because we are alert to problems microcephaly. There is already a very good awareness of the onset of neurological sequelae, education campaigns have been effective and intent of the MOH and the INS is a campaign of surveillance of maternal-fetal neurological problems and is implemented.
If the risk of microcephaly is 1 per 1000 live births, why others would not give them 999?
Those are numbers are arbitrary. The risk is not known.
What is involved microcephaly?
Microcephaly is a neurological problem of brain development in utero. The consequences are different. There is definitely neurodevelopmental problems in the future there may be problems with seizures, learning disabilities, vision, hearing, is a fairly diverse clinical manifestations complex. Microcephaly is a massive disruption of brain development and that has very severe consequences.
And what life has forecast a newborn with this diagnosis?
One thing is the prognosis (life) and the other the amount of neurological sequelae. It depends on the magnitude of the problem of brain development that these children have: some may have problems enough accented development, which will produce quite severe clinical manifestations, and others may have fewer developmental problems and obvious, the magnitude will be smaller. In any case, the consequences are quite difficult because many of these children will have neurodevelopmental effects that will have consequences for the rest of life.
Profile
Dr. Carlos Pardo Villamizar is Associate Professor of Neurology and Pathology at Johns Hopkins University, United States.
He is a clinical neurologist and principal investigator Neuroimmuno-pathology laboratory. It is also a neurologist at the Multiple Sclerosis Center, a member of the Research Group of neurosciences HIV and Transverse Myelitis Center.
The lines of clinical research and laboratory of Dr. Pardo focus on studies of mechanisms will inmunopatol?-cal and Molecu-neuroimmune dollars associated with disorders such as transverse myelitis, multiple sclerosis, NeuroAIDS, epilepsy and autism.
http://www.elpais.com.co/elpais/sal...e-dengue-y-chikungunya-neurologo-carlos-pardo