Chris Newmarker

June 9, 2016

2 Min Read
Zika Is Spreading: What Medtech Can Do

    

Zika Microcephaly
Zika infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly, illustrated above, as well as other severe brain defects. (Image courtesy of CDC)

Already a problem in Latin America, the mosquito-born virus could soon be spreading in the continental U.S. Find out some of the medical device solutions for fighting the disease.

Chris Newmarker

Mosquito-born Zika virus has turned into a pandemic across Latin America, and has already reached the continental United States via travelers.

With the summer mosquito season ramping up in the U.S., officials worry that it is only a matter of time before mosquitos start infecting people in the lower 48 states. The Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that are more likely to carry the virus have a range that extends across the southern half of the U.S., reaching as far north as New York City.

Zika is such a worry because there is mounting evidence that infection during pregnancy can cause a serious birth defect called microcephaly, in which infants have abnormally small heads. Zika could also cause other severe fetal brain defects.

With no vaccine yet for the virus, it could be the scariest thing for expecting parents since the pre-1970s days when there was no vaccine for rubella, also called German measles, which can cause miscarriages or severe birth defects.

Some important strides, though, are being made in the medical technology space when it comes to combatting the spread of the disease. 

Read on to find out more>>

Chris Newmarker is senior editor of Qmed and MPMN. Follow him on Twitter at @newmarker.

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