Zika: UN and US worried about lack of information from Brazil

The Associated Press (AP) are reporting that U.N. and U.S.  Health officials are concerned about the lack of information coming out from Brazil needed to answer the worrying question about whether the Zika virus is responsible for the increase in the number of babies born with abnormally small head. They are worried that the South American country is not sharing enough samples and disease data.

Laboratories and scientists in the United States and Europe are relying on samples from previous outbreak to track the virus’ evolution. The lack of data means efforts to develop diagnostic tests, drugs and vaccines will be difficult to carry out. Brazilian laws means it is illegal for Brazilian researchers and institutes to share genetic material, including blood samples containing Zika and other viruses.

"It's a very delicate issue, this sharing of samples. Lawyers have to be involved," said Dr. Marcos Espinal, director of communicable diseases in the World Health Organization's regional office in Washington.

Espinal said he hoped the problem would be solved after discussions between President Obama and his Brazilian counterpart.

"There is no way this should not be solved in the foreseeable future," he said. "Waiting is always risky during an emergency."

Public health officials across the world are now relying on older viruses or discreetly taking them from private patients.

In England, researchers are using samples drawn from Micronesia, the site of an outbreak in 2007 while the French are relying on samples from Polynesia and Martinique. In Spain, scientists have a Ugandan strain of Zika.