AMA creates online Zika virus resource center for physicians and patients
In an effort to better educate doctors and their patients about the Zika virus, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced today the creation of the Zika Virus Resource Center.
The online tool is designed to be a “clearinghouse for timely, credible information from the CDC, other respected health organizations, and The Journal of the American Medical Association,” the AMA said.
The recent outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus, which is linked to microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities in developing fetuses, has been declared an international public health emergency by the World Health Organization, with thousands of cases now confirmed in 25 countries.
“With global infection rates of the Zika virus increasing rapidly, physicians should be prepared to handle possible cases of the virus and answer patients’ questions,” according to the resource center homepage. “No locally transmitted Zika virus cases have been reported in the continental United States, but cases have been confirmed in returning travelers.”
The website includes links to resources for the public, such as prevention information for pregnant women, maps of infected areas and answers to frequently-asked questions, as well as resources for physicians, including clinical guidance and Zika virus research.
“The American Medical Association is ensuring that physicians are prepared to respond to patients' concerns about this mosquito transmitted disease,” the AMA said in the announcement.
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