Zika - world in a health emergency?

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international health emergency because of the Zika virus outbreak. With this, the WHO has put into effect one of its most powerful instruments. But what does the measure mean in concrete terms?

Diseases know no borders. Sometimes the world community needs to work together to avert a threatening situation. In the face of such an "exceptional incident", the WHO can declare an international health emergency. The prerequisite is that a situation threatens public health in different countries and requires international measures to contain it. The aim is then to join forces around the world to stand up to the danger. So now the Zika virus epidemic.

Alerted health authorities

Zika is a virus that often comes and goes unnoticed. And that usually only causes harmless symptoms, if at all, such as a rash, moderate fever or conjunctivitis. But then the health authorities in South America sounded the alarm. They observed a dramatic increase in the number of skull malformations in newborns, which had become apparent in parallel with the spread of the virus, first in French Polynesia and now in Brazil.

Since then, more than 4,000 children could be affected by a so-called microcephalus because their mothers were infected with Zika during pregnancy. The children are born with smaller skulls and smaller brains, which can lead to severe disabilities or even death

"Only because of this connection has Zika been classified as an international health emergency," emphasizes Dr. David Heymann, Chairman of the WHO Emergency Committee. Since the disease alone is not to be assessed as clinically significant, the spread in itself would not have been an argument.

Experts: Up to four million infected people

It has not yet been proven that the Zika virus actually caused the deformities. But experts consider this to be extremely likely. In addition, there are indications that the disease could also lead to serious neurological complications in adults: the number of potentially fatal Guillain-Barré syndrome has also risen noticeably in the Zika-affected areas.

Researchers estimate that three to four million people could become infected with the virus within a year. The WHO estimates that the risk that masses of unborn babies could be harmed is too great to wait any longer.

"A coordinated international response is necessary to protect people at risk, especially pregnant women," said Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO Director General at a press conference. It should improve surveillance, detect infections, skull deformities and neurological complications, better control mosquito populations and promote the development of diagnostic tests and vaccines.

Zika is not Ebola

In the past week, various experts criticized the WHO for not responding quickly enough to the Zika virus epidemic (houseofgoldhealthproducts reported). This is particularly in view of the neglect during the Ebola outbreak, which, if action had been taken more quickly and decisively, could possibly have resulted in significantly fewer human lives.

However, doctors also emphasize: “Zika is not Ebola.” Thank God it is almost always harmless instead of almost always fatal. And the virus cannot easily be passed on from person to person. Transmission via blood and sexual intercourse is not excluded, but certain mosquito species are necessary as vectors for the mass spread.

The main focus of the measures is therefore directed towards the carrier of the virus, the Asian tiger mosquito. In Brazil, 220,000 soldiers have been mobilized to take action against the insects with insecticides, eliminate breeding grounds such as puddles as much as possible, inform the population and distribute appropriate mosquito repellants.

In addition, pregnant women in particular are called upon to protect themselves - with appropriate clothing, mosquito nets and mosquito sprays. They are also advised to postpone travel to affected areas. A general travel warning has not yet been issued.

No danger in Germany

Even if the term “international health emergency” suggests it, Zika will not spread across the planet. Not even when travelers bring the disease back home with them - like the five infected people who have been reported in Germany since October 2015. The tiger mosquitoes, which the virus needs as the main vector, are missing. The fact that the first specimens of the animals were spotted in southern Germany - for example in the Freiburg area - is at least of no significance at the moment: there are no mosquitoes around at the current temperatures.

Waiting for the herd protection

Experts anticipate that the disease will first spread rapidly across the American continent. But then the wave of infections will clearly subside again on its own. The reason: The explosive spread is currently only possible because almost no one in the South American population is immune to the virus. As soon as enough people have built up immunity due to infections, the virus becomes practically homeless: So-called herd protection takes effect, from which those people - including unborn babies - benefit who are not immune themselves.

Sources:

WHO-Statement: WHO statement on the first meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations,. February 2016

WHO-News: WHO Director-General summarizes the outcome of the Emergency Committee regarding clusters of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome, February 1, 2016

NBC News: WHO Declares Zika a Public Health Emergency, Feb. 1, 2016

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