Ten years after a devastating Zika outbreak in Brazil, new research has revealed another concerning side effect of the mosquito-borne virus, The Independent reported.
The study was a collaboration between scientists from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and the Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine in Sweden. They found that Zika can infect a part of the adult brain called the hypothalamus and disrupt how insulin works. This could potentially increase a person's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
What's happening?
Scientists found that, even after the initial infection and inflammation from Zika subsided, the brain's resistance to insulin can persist.
In tests on adult mice, researchers observed a strong immune response in the hypothalamus and long-term disruptions to blood sugar regulation.
The findings suggest that adults recovering from Zika may face previously unknown health challenges after the virus leaves their system.
Zika first gained international attention in 2015. Obstetrician Adriana Melo linked the virus to microcephaly, a condition that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads.
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That discovery reshaped how public health officials around the world viewed mosquito-borne illnesses.
Why are the impacts of vector-borne illnesses important?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that "warmer weather, along with other factors, such as lifestyle and health care access, could increase a person's risk for vector-borne infections."
Another study published in Global Change Biology determined that higher average temperatures could put an additional 1.3 billion people at risk of contracting Zika by 2050.
Most Zika infections result in mild symptoms like fever and muscle pain. The virus, however, can be dangerous during pregnancy and lead to birth defects, preterm birth, or fetal loss.
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Majorly 😥 The study of how Zika can affect the brain demonstrated that vector-borne disease outbreaks can cause widespread, long-term health problems for many people.
What's being done about mosquito-borne illnesses?
In 2022, Dr. Katie Anders, an epidemiologist, said all available approaches are necessary to combat the threat.
"We need to use all the tools in the box to combat the growing threat from mosquito-borne diseases," Anders, who used to be the director of impact assessment at the World Mosquito Program, said in a WMP article.
She continued and emphasized: "This means governments and communities mobilising to control mosquito populations, strengthening disease surveillance and outbreak response, good clinical management, and rapidly scaling up the delivery of effective interventions."
Individuals can help reduce transmission by eliminating standing water around homes and using insect repellents. Supporting local initiatives to stop the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses can also be helpful.
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