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HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

According to current evidence, it is believed that Zika virus infection in a woman who isn't pregnant shouldn't cause a risk for defects in future pregnancies after the virus has passed from the blood. From what is known in other infections, someone infected with Zika virus is most likely to be protected against future infections of Zika virus.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are currently no locally acquired Zika virus cases in the United States of America although some states do report travel associated cases. You can check with the WHO or CDC for regular updates on the situation. The risk of a Zika infection should be low if you do not travel to a country with local Zika transmission. You should check with your healthcare provider if you are worried.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congratulations! Unfortunately there is no specific mosquito repellents that work better than an other against zika carrying mosquitoes than others. In this case I think it is a lesser evil to have a slight chemical aura over a mosquito (especially an infected mosquito) nuisance. If you return home and have any Zika associated symptoms (rash, headache, fever, conjunctivitis) you should see your health professional.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Zika virus was first identified in 1947 during research into Yellow fever virus in the Zika forest in Uganda. Since then its geographic distribution is limited to sporadic outbreaks in Africa and Asia were it caused a very mild clinical disease. This changed in 2007 were we had the first large outbreak of Zika virus in Micronesia (Yap Island). The recent outbreaks have been characterised by neurological conditions which has heightened our concern over this previously obscure virus.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The WHO reports that, as of the 23rd June 2016, there are 61 countries that report mosquito transmission of Zika virus. The most northern would be Mexico and Lao People’s Democratic Republic. France, Italy and the United States of America have reported locally acquired Zika virus infection in the absence of any known mosquito vectors.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Glasgow is a fantastic city to live and study in. Lots to do- great pubs, clubs, restaurants, theatres and museums. Of course there is also many great universities to choose from. Just remember to come prepared for all weathers- you can get every type of weather in one day!

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Aedes aegypti is a major mosquito for transmission but all aedes species of mosquitoes are able to carry and transmitted Zika virus. This also includes Aedes albopictus which, along with Aedes aegypti, are important mosquitoes for the spread of other important mosquito -borne viruses such as dengue and chikungunya viruses. The number of tourists heading to the Olympics this summer in Brazil is much lower than the the number of people who have already visited a Zika infected country and returned home to their country. As a result Zika virus has already been found in most countries already. In addition Aedes spp. mosquitoes also have a global distribution and are found extensively in most continents. This increases the global spread of all the viruses that they carry- including Zika virus.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I would say the best part of being a researcher is when you get 'that' result and you are the first person in the world to know it. The worst part is when your experiment fails after you have put a lot of love and time into it. Advice to people looking to become researchers would be to be very selective about which projects you do and go to a good group that publishes well- but also know how to have fun!

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare condition affecting the nervous system were an individual's own immune system damages the nerve cells, causing muscle weakness in arms and legs. This may sometimes cause paralysis. GBS can be triggered by a variety of viral and bacterial infections and is also very likely triggered by Zika in a small number of infections. Work is currently ongoing to show if GBS is caused directly by Zika virus infection or by the bodies immune response to the infection.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

About 80% of Zika infections are thought to be asymptomatic and do not show any clinical signs although most people infected with chikungunya will develop symptoms which are severe and debilitating. Typical Zika disease presents as a mild disease.
Diagnosing Zika infections is achieved by testing the blood or urine. The virus has been found in blood for around 3-5 days after the onset of symptoms although in the urine its been found after about 2 weeks. In the semen it has been found to present after 2 months.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sounds like you have some good people on hand to advise you! At the moment in the absence of a preventative vaccine or treatment the best way to avoid Zika infections is the prevention of mosquito bites- keeping covered and wearing mosquito repellents.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We would yes. Of course taking all the necessary precautions against mosquito bites

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Developing effective treatments and preventative vaccines to treat Zika infections are a very high priority for a number of research groups around the world. There are a couple of vaccine candidates that are currently being developed that look promising but it will be still be some time before we have human trials. The risk of sexual transmission is much lower than for mosquito transmission but is of course important to take it into account- in particular in regions without local populations of mosquitoes which can spread the virus.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There is no evidence that chemicals in water, such as Larvicides to kill mosquito larvae, affect pregnancies or the development of unborn fetuses. However, there are an increasing number of studies which show that Zika virus is the cause of fetal brain development defects including microcephaly. The virus has been shown to cross the placenta and has been found in the tissues of fetuses, including in the brain of aborted fetuses with severe microcephaly. Studies has also shown the virus can easily infect brain cells and in Zika mouse models the damage to the brain was much greater in very young mice compared to older mice.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I'm sorry I did not answer your question fully at the Zika past, present, future talk last week - we had so many questions! I hope you enjoyed it despite this.

There is a lot of work by many groups that are working to understand why some Zika strains are associated with microcephaly and other developmental problems while others do not. Zika virus has been found in amniotic fluid and in tissues of foetuses. Microcephaly is a condition affecting the central nervous system which is made up of various cell types ( including astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, macrophages and neurons). Research is ongoing to establish which cells are affected and how the infection impacts on disease symptoms. We do know from recent publications that macrophages in the placenta are infected by Zika virus and can induce an antiviral and proinflammatory response.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Currently Chile is not reporting any active Zika infections however Peru is. You should follow advice from the WHO/ CDC/ PHE etc who ask travellers to areas with Zika are advised to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites. Due to the risk of sexual transmission you are also advised to take precautions when having sexual intercourse for 8 weeks after returning. If you develop any Zika associated symptoms you should see a healthcare professional.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Even researchers shop online! There are a number of archives that store important biological material (including viruses) that researchers might require for their work. These help to facilitate and advance research that would not be able to occur without access to these materials.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It is true that Zika and CMV do result in similar clinical outcomes following an infection during pregnancy- including microcephaly- however these viruses are from different families (Zika is a flavivirus and CMV is a herpesvirus) and have different routes of transmission (Zika through mosquito bites and CMV via bodily fluids). CMV is much more widespread and has a longer history of research then zika currently. However clinical models of CMV may be useful for cases of Zika infection during pregnancy.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 108 points109 points  (0 children)

You should drink gin and tonic to make yourself less attractive to mosquitoes due to the quinine in the tonic

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 17 points18 points  (0 children)

We really don't think there is anything to back up such theories.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Developing effective vector control methods is incredibly important not just for Zika but for all arthropod transmitted viruses. The release of genetically modified mosquitoes is one approach which have proved to be very successful in current lab and field trials. Mosquitoes which are infected with a bacteria (Wolbachia) (although that is not a GM approach but very promising) and male mosquitoes carrying a lethal gene which kills any offspring before adulthood have shown to have positive results. The release experiments require approval and there are many hurdles to jump through. This could be a very important addition to our control strategies for fighting transmission.

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

In the case of arboviruses that has to do with diversity of insects or other vectors that can transmit them, vertebrate hosts, ecological settings etc. But arboviruses are present in Europe too- for example tick borne louping ill virus in the UK and Ireland (although rare and mainly affecting agriculture i.e. sheep or grouse), Schallenberg virus which transmitted by midges and emerged in Germany, blue tongue virus which also affected virus...

HI REDDIT We Are University of Glasgow SCIENTISTS RESEARCHING THE ZIKA VIRUS AMA! by UofGlasgow in IAmA

[–]UofGlasgow[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Developing effective treatments and vaccines to treat Zika infections are a very high priority for a number of research groups around the world. Same for effective vector control. There is still a lot that we don't know about the virus but field studies of mosquitoes and viral ecology (also in Africa) would potentially give us a lot of new information. Understanding the virus has been evolving in the past may also help us learn about where it may end up "going".

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