Johns Hopkins to open multidisciplinary center focused on Zika
Johns Hopkins Medicine plans to open what officials said will be the world's first multidisciplinary Zika center, allowing infected patients to get care and researchers to investigate the virus in one place.
The rapid spread of the Zika virus has alarmed public health officials and doctors because the mosquito-borne virus causes microcephaly, which stunts the brains and skulls of fetuses in infected pregnant women, and potentially causes other birth defects. Infection also has been connected to stillbirths and miscarriages.
"Patients will no longer be required to travel to multiple centers for care relating to the Zika virus," said Dr. William May, associate professor of ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute, in a statement. "Physicians and staff members in various departments at Johns Hopkins will be available to provide comprehensive care to patients within one institution."
The Wilmer Institute led development of what will be known as the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Zika Center, which will bring together experts from Hopkins Medicine and from Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health, in such specialties as epidemiology, infectious disease, maternal-fetal medicine, ophthalmology, orthopedics, pediatrics, physiotherapy, psychiatry and social work.
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