Re: Zika maybe its not the mosquitos
Originally Posted by
WholeLottaRosie
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What I don't understand about this is, if the virus has been around since the 40's why has there suddenly only recently been a glut of birth defects, it doesn't make sense.
edit: sorry Meg just spotted your post
Hi
Viruses mutate, a fact of life.
Think of the Flu Virus, around for years, mutates all the time, then suddenly one of the mutations starts killing people.
The Zika Virus has suddenly mutated, this may be because it was triggered by the use of this chemical, or it may be natural.
What is not in doubt is that it was not the use of this chemical on it's own which caused these problems, if that was the case, only those who had drunk the water would have been at risk.
This is obviously not the case.
Previously it was a very localised virus, it could only be contracted by mosquito bite.
This is no longer the case, viable, infective virus has been found in the semen of men weeks after they were infected and people are being infected without having been bitten by mosquitoes.
This is a very significant mutation.
Luckily it is exceptionally rare in Europe at the moment and strangely enough, there is still no definitive proof that it causes birth defects, just a very high probability that it does.