Zika's origin and international spread

1947 - Scientists getting to know yellow fever in Uganda's Zika wooded area discover the virus in a rhesus monkey

1948 - Virus recovered from Aedes africanus mosquito in Zika wooded area

1952 - First human cases detected in Uganda and Tanzania

1954 - Virus found in Nigeria

Nineteen Sixties-80s - Zika detected in mosquitoes and monkeys throughout equatorial Africa

1969–83 - Zika observed in equatorial Asia, inclusive of India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan

2007 - Zika spreads from Africa and Asia, first big outbreak on Pacific island of Yap

2012 - Researchers perceive  wonderful lineages of the virus, African and Asian

2013–14 - Zika outbreaks in French Polynesia, Easter Island, the prepare dinner Islands and New Caledonia.

Retrospective analysis suggests viable link to start defects and severe neurological headaches in babies in French Polynesia

March 2, 2015 - Brazil reports illness characterized with the aid of skin rash in northeastern states

July 17 - Brazil reports detection of neurological problems in newborns related to history of contamination

Oct. 5 - Cape Verde has instances of illness with skin rash

Oct. 22 - Colombia confirms instances of Zika

Oct. 30 - Brazil reviews growth in microcephaly, abnormally small heads, among newborns

Nov. eleven - Brazil announces public health emergency

November 2015-January 2016 - cases pronounced in Suriname, Panama, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, 

Paraguay, Venezuela, French Guiana, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Ecuador, Barbados, Bolivia, Dominican 

Republic, Nicaragua, Curacao, Jamaica

Feb. 1 - international health enterprise (WHO) broadcasts public health emergency of international subject

Feb. 2 - First case of Zika transmission in u.s.; local health officials say likely contracted thru intercourse, not mosquito chunk

Feb. five- U.S. centers for ailment control and Prevention says virus being actively transmitted in 30 countries, primarily inside the Americas

Feb. eight - U.S. President Barack Obama requests $1.8 billion to fight Zika

Feb. 12 - Brazil investigating potential hyperlink among Zika infections and four,314 suspected cases of microcephaly. of those, 462 confirmed as microcephaly and forty one determined to be connected to virus

Feb. 17 - Brazil investigating potential link among Zika and 4,443 suspected cases of microcephaly. of those, 508 showed as microcephaly and maximum of these instances are connected to the virus. WHO seeks $fifty six million to fight Zika.

Feb. 18 - CDC provides Aruba and Bonaire to international locations and territories with energetic outbreaks, bringing general to 32.

Mind health program may ease cognitive impairment in aged

many old sufferers with mild cognitive impairment skilled better mind feature after a “health” program designed to sharpen their minds, a U.S. observe indicates.

Researchers put 127 aged people on what they known as a brain health regimen for 12 weeks that covered meditation education, cognitive conduct therapy, and training about the Mediterranean food regimen, workout, strain discount and proper sleep habits.

through the give up of this system, 84% of contributors skilled big improvements in cognitive function, researchers mentioned in a paper launched on line February five within the journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s sickness.

most of the random pattern of 17 patients who received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at the beginning and give up of the program, 12 had either no atrophy at some stage in the take a look at or some growth in brain volume in their hippocampus, the area responsible for reminiscence.

“you may choose a lifestyle that promotes speedy brain atrophy and dementia or one which quickens mind growth and energy,” said lead examine author Dr. Majid Fotuhi, a researcher at NeuroGrow brain fitness center in McLean, Virginia, and at Johns Hopkins medication.

“You need to decide if you could make alternatives to be able to rejuvenate your brain on a daily basis,” Fotuhi introduced by way of email.

Fotuhi and colleagues examined their brain health application in a set of elderly patients who had been seventy one years antique on common.

on the start of the program, sufferers underwent standardized neurology critiques to determine and cope with any capability medical reasons for memory loss and cognitive impairment such as sleep apnea, melancholy or diet B12 deficiency.

every participant also underwent MRI and mind mapping at the begin of the program.

Then each week for the following 3 months, all of them got two hours of cognitive abilties training and neurofeedback therapy, which used sound and pictures to set off the brain’s circuits to paintings and then to relaxation. additionally they had one hour every week of counseling and education on lifestyle modifications that are connected to better mind health. 

general, eighty four% of sufferers had statistically large enhancements in as a minimum 3 out of 10 regions of cognitive function, at the same time as any other nine% had enormous gains in at least two regions.

most of the subset of people who were given observe-up MRIs at the give up of the look at, 9 of 17 sufferers had as a minimum a 1% growth within the quantity of the hippocampus, sufficient to dial returned the mind’s age by way of several years and enhance cognitive abilties.

boundaries of the study consist of the small length, the lack of randomization or a manage group, and the issue of figuring out which of the numerous interventions may had been the most beneficial to cognitive function in elderly sufferers, the authors word. 

“It is not yet validated how such an method stalled atrophy or encouraged regrowth as measured through an elevated volume,” stated Dr. Dale Bredesen, founding president of the dollar Institute for studies on growing older and a researcher at the David Geffen faculty of drugs at the college of California, la, in an email. Bredesen wasn’t concerned inside the look at.

most of the factors of the mind health program may additionally have advantages that pass beyond memory or cognitive abilties, said Stephanie Peabody, a neuropsychologist at Harvard medical school who wasn’t involved within the study.

“brain fitness is inextricably tied to general health; those without damage to the brain and/or concept or temper disorders live a more fit lifestyle, have fewer continual sicknesses and remain healthier into older age,” Peabody stated with the aid of email. “beyond this, people who optimize life-style behaviors along with sleep, pastime and nutrients are capable of optimize nearly all aspects of brain functioning.”

White residence, house Republicans spar over Zika, Ebola funding

The White house stated on Friday that it might be "profoundly unwise" to plow cash set apart for Ebola-related initiatives into studies and mitigation efforts for the mosquito-borne Zika virus as numerous top Republican lawmakers have requested.

Democratic President Barack Obama has requested the U.S. Congress for more than $1.8 billion to combat Zika within the usa and overseas, and pursue a vaccine.

but 3 key Republican lawmakers inside the residence of Representatives have stated they suppose the authorities have to as a substitute draw from $2.7 billion that has no longer but used for public health projects remote places.

The Zika virus has been related to beginning defects in Brazil and unfold to as a minimum 31 other international locations and territories, more often than not within the Americas.

consultant Hal Rogers, chairman of the residence Appropriations Committee, and Representatives Kay Granger and Tom Cole, who are appropriators for health and Human offerings and the state branch, made their request in a letter to the White residence on Thursday.

"If the aim of the request is to mount as fast a reaction as viable, it is clear to us that the maximum expeditious manner to identify the wished funding is to maximize using unobligated budget formerly furnished for Ebola," the lawmakers stated.

Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, a member of the Republican Senate leadership team, said earlier this month that Obama should repurpose Ebola funds for the brand new Zika combat.

however White residence spokesman Josh Earnest said the unspent Ebola money turned into needed to "build up the general public health infrastructure of countries distant places" to help prevent destiny epidemics.

West Africa turned into affected by a -yr Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,300 humans starting in December 2013 and led to cases inside the united states of america.

"it's significantly essential that we comply with through on the ones efforts and it would be profoundly unwise to take money away from the continued effort it is need to fight Ebola," Earnest said.

Earnest stated that the White residence would quickly put forward a formal Zika investment request for lawmakers. it'll include a plan to redirect a few Ebola price range to the Zika fight, but Earnest stated new investment changed into additionally require.

a lot stays unknown approximately Zika, consisting of whether or not the virus truly causes microcephaly, a condition marked by means of unusually small heads which could result in developmental problems. Brazil stated it has showed more than 500 instances of microcephaly, and considers maximum of them to be associated with Zika infections inside the moms. Brazil is investigating greater than 3,900 extra suspected cases of microcephaly.

U.S. proposes hike in Medicare gain payments

The U.S. authorities on Friday proposed raising payments by means of 1.35 percentage on average next year to the fitness insurers who provide Medicare benefit fitness benefits to aged and disabled individuals.

bills to insurers will vary below the 2017 Medicare advantage proposal, primarily based at the location the plans are offered and on the dimensions of bonus bills insurers can acquire primarily based on first-class ratings, the authorities stated.

shares of health insurers rose in after-hours trade. Analysts said the suggestion appeared fantastic for insurers before everything glance, but recommended that they had to parse it absolutely.

"looks as if the exceptional case situation has performed itself out," stated Ipsita Smolinski of Capitol street, a Washington D.C. research company, who had anticipated about 1 percent increase in bills.

Insurers and lawmakers have forced the government not to cut bills, announcing any decrease could hurt older people via forcing insurers to cut benefits.

Insurer lobbyist the us's medical insurance Plans President Marilyn Tavenner stated it changed into vital that the final policy make sure the lengthy-term balance of Medicare gain. She said in a assertion that the institution become looking carefully on the inspiration.

approximately 17 million americans have healthcare insurance thru Medicare gain, provided by using insurers such as UnitedHealth institution Inc, Aetna Inc, and Anthem Inc among others. any other more than 30 million human beings receive benefits through the authorities Medicare rate-for-provider application.

stocks of Anthem Inc rose 1.four percentage in after-hours buying and selling, whilst UnitedHealth group gained 1.6 percentage.

some insurers may additionally benefit greater than others from the notion to pay more to insurers who're handling plans for those who qualify for each Medicare and Medicaid for the poor, stated Kim Monk, managing director of Capital Alpha companions.

The 1.35 percentage increase is based totally on anticipated medical fee increases next year. The authorities expects a three percent price increase charge, that's consistent with estimates the government furnished to insurers in December.

That 3 percentage increase is then reduced to one.35 percent due to decrease bills to insurers for sicker-than-common customers and a few medical coding adjustments, the U.S. department of health and Human services Medicare agency stated on Friday.

The 1.35 percentage additionally takes into account an growth in how it can pay insurers based on satisfactory measures, called big name ratings, it said.

The very last rate for 2017 Medicare benefit bills is primarily based in this proposed parent and will be released in April.

CDC, Brazil begin large have a look at to check Zika hyperlink to start defects

U.S. and Brazilian researchers are heading to João Pessoa in the country of Paraíba on Monday to recruit mothers and infants in one among the biggest government-led studies to understand whether the Zika virus is related to microcephaly, an extraordinary beginning illness.

Brazil has confirmed extra than 500 cases of microcephaly, described by using an strangely small head, because the begin of the outbreak. Over three,900 additional suspected cases are being investigated.

Brazil commonly most effective sees about a hundred and fifty instances a year. The spike in microcephaly precipitated the sector health corporation on Feb. 1 to claim Zika an worldwide fitness emergency.

The take a look at has been inside the planning levels for several weeks. it will pair researchers at the U.S. facilities for disease manage and Prevention with Brazilian experts to look at toddlers already born with microcephaly and their mothers to decide whether or not Zika or a few other contamination brought on their malady.

"What we are looking to do is to better outline the affiliation among youngsters which have been recognized with microcephaly and whether or not or not they could have proof of congenital Zika virus contamination," said Dr. Erin Staples, a CDC medical epidemiologist leading the observe in Paraíba.

In an interview, Staples supplied a primary glimpse on the lengthy-anticipated study. Researchers hope to sign up 100 mothers and their toddlers with microcephaly. these can be matched with 300 to four hundred pairs of wholesome moms and their infants. initial outcomes are anticipated this spring, a senior CDC legitimate said.

Blood samples from moms and infants in both corporations might be examined for symptoms of Zika infection.

contemporary diagnostic assessments looking for Zika antibodies are limited because they closely resemble dengue, a related virus commonplace in Brazil. The group hopes that taking samples from each moms and their babies will give a more unique photo of whether Zika became involved. they will additionally search for other exposures that might give an explanation for why a baby advanced microcephaly.

The study's design must help determine the relative threat of microcephaly in infants whose moms were infected with Zika.

Staples said the work ought to offer more potent affirmation of a hyperlink, but that it'd take years of clinical research to show whether or not Zika genuinely reasons microcephaly.

within the meantime, evidence of a connection is mounting. Researchers have located the virus in fetal mind tissue, amniotic fluid and placenta. An post-mortem of an aborted fetus confirmed the whole genetic code of the virus within the mind and proof that the virus changed into replicating.

Brazil is the handiest united states to record a spike in microcephaly after Zika arrived last yr. The CDC has a vested interest in unraveling the thriller as the outbreak makes its way north. The mosquito-borne virus is circulating in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, and is anticipated to reach numerous southern U.S. states with warmer climate within the spring.

CDC professionals will be a part of group of workers from the Brazil's fitness Ministry. The crew can even try and decide the most not unusual characteristics of microcephaly that is probably specifically associated with Zika, and take a look at whether different abnormalities may result from publicity to the virus.

Staples estimates it'll take 4 to 5 weeks to get the take a look at fully enrolled, but it can take longer.

"We need to ensure we've the right number of cases and controls to be able to mention with a very good degree of actuality what goes on," she stated.