Scientific ignorance about Zika parallels Aids crisis in 1980s, say Brazilian experts
Scientific ignorance about Zika parallels Aids crisis in 1980s, say Brazilian experts
‘This is a major health incident in the history of Brazil. We face a very serious problem for which scientific knowledge is far from sufficient’, expert says
Jonathan Watts in Rio de Janeiro and Sarah Boseley
Tuesday 2 February 2016 12.23 EST
The spread of Zika virus across Latin America, with its apparent tragic consequences for the babies of infected pregnant women, has parallels with the emergence of Aids more than 30 years ago, according to a senior epidemiologist on the frontline in Brazil.
Wilson Savino, director of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute in Rio de Janeiro, said the current state of scientific ignorance around the virus and its effects resembles that over HIV – the human immunodeficiency virus which gives rise to Aids – in the early 1980s.
“Back then, the scientific and medical community did not know what was going on until many people had died and considerable research had been undertaken,” said Savino. “Then it turned out to be a global health issue. In Brazil, although we have identified the Zika virus, we don’t know much about it compared with dengue or yellow fever. The degree of ignorance is comparable to what we faced 32 years ago.
“This is a major health incident in the history of Brazil. We face a very serious problem for which scientific knowledge is far from sufficient. The scientific community has the responsibility to discover as much as possible as rapidly as possible.”
More:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/02/zika-virus-scientific-research-lacking-latin-america
LBN:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141334740
