In late 2015, health officials in Brazil recognized a marked increase in the number of infants born with microcephaly (from Greek, meaning “small head”), a birth defect that may accompany significant, permanent brain damage. Although not conclusive, the increase in microcephaly is suspected to be related to the emergence of Zika virus infections in Brazil early in 2015.
Zika virus is related to the viruses that cause yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, and Japanese encephalitis viruses. Historically Zika virus was found in Africa. Since 2007, Zika transmission has also occurred in Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. In the Americas, transmission was first identified in Brazil in May 2015. As of January 29, 2016, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) had received reports of local transmission in 25 countries and territories in the Americas, including Florida, Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Symptoms of Zika virus infection in adults are usually mild and the illness resolves quickly. However, the link to microcephaly has raised the level of public health concern in the Americas and elsewhere, and has spurred wide-ranging efforts to protect pregnant women from infection.
On February 1, 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) determined that the rapid spread of Zika infections in the Americas and the suspected link to a serious birth defect constituted a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” under the International Health Regulations. Under this designation, nations are expected to cooperate, expand monitoring, and share information in order to stem the spread of the disease.
Health system preparedness and response (domestic and global); Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean; Mosquito control; Medical product development and regulation; Women’s health; U.S. emergency management; Legal issues; FIFRA: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act.
The following table provides names and contact information for CRS experts on
policy concerns relating to the global spread of the Zika virus. Policy areas
include the following:
The following acronyms are used:
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Legislative Issues |
Name/Title |
Phone |
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Health System Preparedness and Response |
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Domestic activities |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Global activities |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Latin America and the Caribbean |
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[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Mosquito Control |
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Ecology and entomology |
Pervaze A. Sheikh |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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EPA-regulated products: pesticides, including repellents |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Genetically engineered mosquitoes |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Public health recommendations, U.S. state control programs |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Environmental review of federal actions |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Medical Product Development and Regulation |
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Basic biomedical research, NIH |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Product development: Project BioShield, BARDA |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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FDA regulation of drugs |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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FDA regulation of vaccines and diagnostic tests |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Women's Health |
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Women's reproductive health; domestic |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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U.S. international family planning policy; global |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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U.S. Emergency Management |
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Stafford Act, FEMA disaster declarations |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Stafford Act, FEMA grant assistance |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Legal Issues |
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U.S. public health |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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FDA |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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Abortion, family planning |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |
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FIFRA, regulation of pesticides |
[author name scrubbed] |
[phone number scrubbed] |
[email address scrubbed] |