Zika could cause abortions even in women without symptoms

LONDON (EFE) .- Zika virus could cause spontaneous abortions and intrauterine fetal deaths even in women who have never shown symptoms of disease, concludes a study published today. by the journal Nature Medicine.

A group of researchers from several primate study centers in the United States conducted an experiment with 50 primates, including Rhesus macaques, and found that "26% of nonhuman primates have lost their pregnancies despite the absence of symptoms "to be infected with the virus

This leads the authors to conclude that there may be many more women, than they do not. urge, who lose their fetuses by this virus, which is transmitted by the bite of a mosquito or through sexual intercourse, than previously

In their experience, experts have analyzed the evolution of nonhuman primates who had been infected with the virus at the beginning of pregnancy and who did not feed on prey. They had symptoms of the disease, which can usually be fever, rashes, headaches, muscles and conjunctivitis.

"This is the first time that we have been able to categorically prove that spontaneous abortions (before 20 weeks of gestation) and intra-uterine fetal deaths (after this period) related to Zika occur in non primate primates. humans without symptoms, "says Daniel Streblow, of the Institute of Genetics and Immunization Treatment at the National Primate Research Center in Oregon. 19659002] "Examining this important issue will help us better understand how the Zika virus damages the placenta and how to prevent the tragic end of pregnancy that it can cause," he adds.

Up to now, studies on the virus abortions and fetal deaths occurred in women with symptoms.

Thus, a recent survey among known women for whom they were infected found that 5.8% experienced spontaneous abortion and 1.6% fetal intrauterine death.

In addition to the loss of pregnancy, the Zika virus, first identified in the 1950s in forest monkeys Zika in Uganda, can cause severe infections and malformations in newborns, such as microcephaly.

In the United States, cases have been detected, particularly in Texas, Florida and New York, and epidemics have appeared in Africa and Southeast Asia. Pacific Islands, parts of the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Among the primate research centers that participated in this joint research are those at the University of California, Texas Institute of Biomedical Research, University. from Wisconsin and Washington.