Zika: The Emerging Epidemic

McNeil, a New York Times science writer, relates the still-evolving medical and political fallout from the recent outbreak of the mosquito-borne zika virus. His survey begins with zika's 1947 discovery in Uganda, which generated little medical interest or testing. In May 2015, an explosive emergence of zika in Brazil suddenly gave rise to more than two dozen babies born with microcephaly, and an abnormally high rate of an auto-immune reaction known as Guillain-Barr%C3%A9 syndrome. Four months later, McNeil was pressing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "on how fearful Americans should be." The dogged reporter's investigation gains drama and energy as the World Health Organization struggles over how much caution to relay and the CDC weighs the "sexual politics" of the sexually transmitted virus. McNeil pays special attention to the political quagmire in South America over experts acknowledging that women "needed simply to not be pregnant" when the virus was peaking, and the pushback from religious leaders and women's rights groups. McNeil concludes somewhat wistfully that "an epidemic averted would be great news" for the U.S., as well as "a victory for public health" and for the freedom of the press to share crucial health information that informs citizens' choices. His survey will certainly help to raise awareness among the general public. (July)