Zika virus was already known to cause cases of fetal microcephaly. But scientists once again invite pregnant women to be vigilant and avoid areas infected by the mosquito because the virus is also responsible for joint deformities in infants.
Babies have arthrogryposis
The alert comes from Dr Vanessa van der Linden, from the Barão de Lucena Hospital in Recife (Brazil). In a new study published in the British medical journal, it reports 7 infants whose mother had been infected with the Zika virus during pregnancy, who suffer from arthrogryposis. This disease affects joints in the body that are malformed, preventing normal flexion and extension.
This disease is extremely rare and usually affects one in 3000 newborns. It is most often related to fetal akinesia (the baby does not move enough in its mother’s womb).
The baby is not moving enough in the womb
Dr. Linden’s team hypothesizes that the Zika virus causes neurological problems which, in turn, affect the ability of the fetus to move inside the womb. However, movement in the mother’s womb is important for the normal development of the baby’s joints and muscles. Lack of movement in the uterus is known to lead to arthrogryposis.
Tests carried out on the 7 babies showed that they had not been affected by a congenital infection (rubella, HIV, toxoplasmosis, syphilis…), which could have caused the malformation of the joints. But most also suffered from microcephaly.
This study is, for the moment, only a case study. Further studies will be needed to understand the neurological problems caused by the Zika virus.
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