The Zika virus epidemic began in Brazil in early 2015 and has rapidly spread in many other South American and Caribbean countries. So far, the United States has seen 193 confirmed cases of Zika virus in travelers returning from countries with local transmission. The international scientific community is working hard to gather information and to better understand the information we already have about Zika virus and the possible risks for microcephaly/other congenital effects and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). During situations like this, the media often sensationalizes potential risks, spreading misinformation, fear, and panic. This document lays out what we know with some certainty about Zika, what researchers have discovered recently, and what some implications may be.

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