NIH to host scientific workshop on Zika virus and child development

WHAT:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host “Bridging Knowledge Gaps to Understand How Zika Virus Exposure and Infection Affect Child Development” in North Bethesda, MD, on September 22-23, 2016. The workshop is sponsored by NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH).

Zika virus is a growing public health concern. Infection in pregnant women can lead to defects in developing fetuses and newborns. However, long-term outcomes for children exposed to the virus are largely unknown.

The purpose of the workshop is to find the best approaches for treating and caring for children exposed to Zika virus in the womb. Participants from the United States, Brazil and Puerto Rico, who are experts in obstetrics, maternal and pediatric infectious diseases, child development, rehabilitation and vaccine research, will deliver lectures and lead panel discussions. They also will outline future research needs and evaluate treatment options currently offered in areas with active Zika virus transmission.

The workshop is open to members of the news media. The event is free, but registration is required. For more information about the workshop—location, agenda and registration—please visit the workshop website.

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About the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD): NICHD conducts and supports research in the United States and throughout the world on fetal, infant and child development; maternal, child and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit NICHD’s website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.