We all have been hearing the new buzz about the Zika Virus, which is spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito and how it’s infiltrating parts of the world. A baby with a misshapen head is already a heartbroken sight to see. But researchers are posting caution about the microcephaly (abnormal smallness of the head) the most obvious cause of the spread of the Zika Virus.
Researchers say infants who are appear to be normal during birth may have a higher risk for mental illnesses later on in life if the mother was infected during pregnancy. The Zika Virus resembles some infectious agents that are linked to the development of bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia. The condition is thought to rise from a number of things including genetic susceptibility and traumas later in life such as, physical or sexual …show more content…
Dr. W. Ian Lipkin who administers the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University states that he wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a big rise in A.D.H.D., autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia, he says “We’re looking at a large group of individuals who may not be able to function in the world.” Many researchers in Brazil are investigating multiple cases of microcephalic births. Although there is no proof that the Zika Virus is the cause of the mental illnesses. The Zika Virus was discovered in 1947 there hasn’t been no research into the long term consequences, researchers are drawing conclusions from what is similar and known about this infectious virus. The viral attack early in the pregnancy can kill a fetu in the womb or can even stunt the growing brain and this is how microcephaly is produced. Researchers have noted that schizophrenia is most common