Zika virus has been connected to two serious autoimmune neurologic conditions, according to Medscape.
Here are seven key insights:
1. Zika is linked to acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
2. Based on a report from the Hospital da Restauração in Pernambuco, Brazil, there have been 151 cases of patients with Zika and neurologic conditions between December 2014 and December 2015.
3. The report analyzed two patients with ADEM and four patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome. All patients had fevers and rashes, with some experiencing pruritus, myalgia, arthralgia and conjunctival hyperemia. The six patients then experienced neurologic complications between zero days and 15 days after the symptoms began.
4. MRIs revealed white matter lesions in two patients and high protein concentration in the Guillain-Barré syndrome patients.
5. Once discharged, five patients had motor dysfunction. One patient experienced low visual acuity and one patient experienced cognitive decline.
6. This study indicates Zika is triggering an immunological response in patients, resulting in these neurological conditions.
7. Although Zika has been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome in the past, this may be the first study showing a connection between the virus and ADEM.