Health Monitoring in the Bourgogne and Franche-Comté Regions. Update as of December 17, 2015.
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Zika linked to microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome.The Zika virus is genetically similar to the dengue virus. It is an arbovirus transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. In 2007, an outbreak of Zika virus infection was reported in Micronesia, although the virus had been circulating regularly in several countries in Africa and Asia without causing any notable outbreaks. In 2013–2014, French Polynesia experienced a major outbreak (followed by an outbreak of dengue, then chikungunya during the 2014–2015 southern summer). The virus had then infected three-quarters of the population, with episodes described as moderately febrile, often accompanied by a rash, but resolving spontaneously within 3 to 7 days, without signs of severity. Two-thirds of cases likely presented with an asymptomatic form. More than 600 cases were reported in less than 3 weeks. Concurrently, cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (42 cases over a 4-month period), encephalitis, and meningoencephalitis were reported by the French Polynesia Hospital Center. Five cases of neonatal brainstem dysfunction were also reported. In October 2015, Brazil reported to the WHO an unusual increase in cases of neonatal microcephaly in the northeastern states, coinciding with a Zika outbreak. Several causes were considered (toxic, infectious, genetic, nutritional). A total of 121 cases were reported with neurological manifestations and Guillain-Barré syndrome, all with a history of Zika virus infection symptoms. In November, the first indigenous cases of Zika were described in Cape Verde, confirmed by the Pasteur Institute in Dakar. More recently, in December, a positive PCR result in French Guiana (likely imported from Suriname) and a positive serology result in Martinique were reported. The clinical and epidemiological data on the first probable cases of Zika in Martinique raise concerns about the emergence and local transmission of this virus in the French departments of the Americas. While no local cases have been reported in mainland France, the presence of the Aedes albopictus vector in southern Europe also makes the emergence of this infection in those regions possible during the summer season. An ECDC publication on December 10 indicates that Zika outbreaks are potentially associated with microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. The authors propose measures to limit the spread of the outbreak in Europe: improving the detection of imported cases, strengthening laboratory capacity to identify the virus, excluding blood donors who have traveled to endemic areas, raising awareness among healthcare professionals regarding patients returning from these areas, preventing infected patients from being bitten by Aedes mosquitoes during the first week of the illness, and adapting prenatal surveillance based on the level of exposure to the vector.
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