지카바이러스는 이집트 모기를 통해서 감염되며, 일반적인 성인이 감염되면 증상이 없거나 댕기열과 비슷하게 고열, 관절통 등의 독감 증상이 나타나게 되지만, 임신한 여성이 감염될 경우 소두증 아이를 낳을 수 있는 것으로 알려져 있습니다. 최근 남미에서 확산되면서 크게 이슈가 되었고, 지카바이러스의 구조나 소두증을 일으키는 원인을 밝히는 연구가 활발하게 이루어지고 있기도 하지요.
이러한 지카바이러스가 다른 종류의 뇌 질환을 유발할 수 있다는 내용이 되겠습니다. 아기의 소두증을 유발하는 것으로 알려지며 최근 이슈화된 지카바이러스(Zika virus)가 다른 자가면역 질환(중추신경의 수초가 파괴되는 multiple sclerosis와 같은)을 유발할 수 있다는 것 입니다.모든 감염환자에게서 나타난건 아니고, 감염자에서 이 바이러스가 뇌로 침투하게 될 경우에 나타나는 것으로 보입니다. 하지만 아직 소수의 환자에서만 발견되었기 때문에, 앞으로 더 검증이 필요할 것으로 보입니다.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - The Zika virus may be associated with an autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain's myelin similar to multiple sclerosis, according to a small study that is being released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.
"Though our study is small, it may provide evidence that in this case the virus has different effects on the brain than those identified in current studies," said study author Maria Lucia Brito Ferreira, MD, with Restoration Hospital in Recife, Brazil. "Much more research will need to be done to explore whether there is a causal link between Zika and these brain problems."
For the study, researchers followed people who came to the hospital in Recife from December 2014 to June 2015 with symptoms compatible with arboviruses, the family of viruses that includes Zika, dengue and chikungunya. Six people then developed neurologic symptoms that were consistent with autoimmune disorders and underwent exams and blood tests. The authors saw 151 cases with neurological manifestations during a period of December 2014 to December 2015.
All of the people came to the hospital with fever followed by a rash. Some also had severe itching, muscle and joint pain and red eyes. The neurologic symptoms started right away for some people and up to 15 days later for others.
Of the six people who had neurologic problems, two of the people developed acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), an attack of swelling of the brain and spinal cord that attacks the myelin, which is the coating around nerve fibers. In both cases, brain scans showed signs of damage to the brain's white matter. Unlike MS, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis usually consists of a single attack that most people recover from within six months. In some cases, the disease can reoccur. Four of the people developed Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), a syndrome that involves myelin of the peripheral nervous system and has a previously reported association with the Zika virus.
When they were discharged from the hospital, five of the six people still had problems with motor functioning. One person had vision problems and one had problems with memory and thinking skills.
Tests showed that the participants all had Zika virus. Tests for dengue and chikungunya were negative.
"This doesn't mean that all people infected with Zika will experience these brain problems. Of those who have nervous system problems, most do not have brain symptoms," said Ferreira. "However, our study may shed light on possible lingering effects the virus may be associated with in the brain."
"At present, it does not seem that ADEM cases are occurring at a similarly high incidence as the GBS cases, but these findings from Brazil suggest that clinicians should be vigilant for the possible occurrence of ADEM and other immune-mediated illnesses of the central nervous system," said James Sejvar, MD, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Of course, the remaining question is 'why'-why does Zika virus appear to have this strong association with GBS and potentially other immune/inflammatory diseases of the nervous system? Hopefully, ongoing investigations of Zika virus and immune-mediated neurologic disease will shed additional light on this important question."
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Learn more about acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome and other brain disorders at http://www.aan.com/patients.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of 30,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
- 출처: Zika virus may now be tied to another brain disease (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-04/aaon-zvm040716.php#.VwtLM776q1k.link)
