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|Videos|September 30, 2016
Prognosis of Babies with Zika-related Complications
Author(s)Contagion Editorial Staff
Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos, MD, PhD, director of WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Research, Evandro Chagas Institute, discusses the prognosis of babies with Zika-related complications.
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Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos, MD, PhD, director of WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Research, Evandro Chagas Institute, discusses the prognosis of babies with Zika-related complications.
Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)
“In the babies that [are] born with microcephaly, other central nervous system malformations, and other extreme malformations, perhaps these babies will need life[-long] complete support, [with regards to] neurology, psychology, physical therapy, and other [complications], because [Zika] is most intense and severe when [babies are] born with this malformation.
Many of [these babies] die in a few minutes, few days, or few weeks after they’re born [with these Zika-related complications]. But those ones that survive will need assistance for [a] lifetime. Of course these babies [have other] immune system problems [because of] Zika virus infection. So they need assistance to fight against [some otherwise harmless] infections properly, [such as] pneumonia, severe diarrhea and other complications that can appear during Zika virus infection in [a] baby that is already born with microcephaly [or] other malformation. Probably the immune system is typically altered.”
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