The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance for health workers to assess microcephaly and identify and manage Guillain-Barré syndrome and other issues in relation to Zika virus and the current health emergency.

Key Messages:

The guidance is in the form of technical documents, each addressing a specific aspect:

These are ‘interim recommendations’, and will be valid until August 2016.

The documents released are:

Assessment of infants with microcephaly in the context of zika virus:

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204475/1/WHO_ZIKV_MOC_16.3_eng.pdf?ua=1

Identification and management of Guillain-Barre Syndrome in the context of zika virus:

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204474/1/WHO_ZIKV_MOC_16.4_eng.pdf?ua=1

Breastfeeding in the context of zika virus:

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204473/1/WHO_ZIKV_MOC_16.5_eng.pdf?ua=1

Useful Links:

Link to a WHO question & answer video:

Link to Interim case definitions:

English:

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204381/1/WHO_ZIKV_SUR_16.1_eng.pdf?ua=1

Portuguese:

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204381/5/WHO_ZIKV_SUR_16.1_por.pdf?ua=1

Link to Birth Defects Surveillance Training Facilitator’s Guide:

http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/177871/1/9789241549288_eng.pdf?ua=1