Singapore said on Thursday it did not know if the Zika virus
detected in the country could cause the same birth defects
and other disorders linked to an outbreak in Latin America .
A DNA analysis of the mosquito-borne virus, which has
infected almost 300 people in Singapore, including two
pregnant women, revealed slight differences between the
strains but it was not clear what that meant in terms of the
severity of the disease, the health ministry said.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which has declared
Zika an international health emergency, says more research
is needed to determine the effects of the different Zika
strains.
sequence to indicate whether the differences between these
strains and the South American virus correlate with differences
in severity or type of disease, " the health ministry said.
"Correlation of virus strains with specific clinical manifestations
will take long-term careful epidemiological studies as well as
experimental studies, " it added.
The WHO has said that infection with the virus in pregnant
women can cause the birth defect microcephaly, in which
the brain and head of the baby are undersized, and other
severe brain abnormalities.
The WHO also said it was likely that the Zika virus could
trigger the Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological
disorder that can result in paralysis, though conclusive
proof may take years.
The connection between the virus and microcephaly first
came to light in Brazil, which has been the hardest hit by
the outbreak affecting Latin America.
Scientists say the Zika strain in Brazil most likely evolved
from an Asian strain. The virus, first detected in Uganda in
1947, spread to equatorial Asia in the 1960s and 1980s.
Singapore said the strain causing the current outbreak also
evolved from an Asian strain. Raymond Lin, head of the
National Public Health Laboratory said the strain in
Singapore and Brazil were slightly different, but it was not
clear what this meant.
"There might be fine differences, there might be more mutations
but currently there is no evidence at all to suggest that it's less
severe or more severe; whether there is less or more likelihood
of getting microcephaly, " he told media.
A WHO spokeswoman also said more research was needed
to better understand the virus.
"Researchers do not yet know if the 'old' lineage of Zika also
causes complications such as microcephaly and neurological
disorders ," the spokeswoman said.
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