I’ll tell you what will cause microcephaly though…

Acute exposure to pesticide in an enclosed space (such as an airplane) for extended periods while pregnant.  Then the doctor will tell you it’s caused by Zika and you should have gotten your vaccine. Tsk tsk

The Zika hypothesis for microcephaly is not looking too good due to only a small fraction of microcephaly cases actually being found to have the virus, but let let’s think anyway about a possible mechanism of action of a virus causing microcephaly, for the sake of argument.  Reduction in head size is a localized phenomenon.  Any mechanism of action for a virus to accomplish this head shrinking would require infection in the fetus and gestational tissue early in development.  It’s concievable, but the evidence is pointing elsewhere.

Viruses are well known to integrate themselves into host genomes and hijack the cells’ internal machinery to produce copies of themselves.  In viral cancers, such as HPV for example, there will be hundreds or thousands of RNA fragments in an RNA-seq library that map to a specific strain of the virus, in contrast to the background flora of other viruses which every person harbors.  If a virus is affecting fetal development, it’s going to be found in the patients.

It follows that RNA sequencing should be able to detect Zika in tissue samples of microcephaly cases.  This could be tissue saved from miscarriages or young children who have died.  Microcephaly patients often do not live long so if this disease really is an epidemic, there should be plenty of tissue available.  Confirmed microcephaly autopsies should flash-freeze brain, bone, skin and blood samples for sequencing, and the virus can be detected or ruled in or out that way.

Maternal blood and pap smear should also be sequenced, and if possible, placenta and amniotic fluid.

So there’s the experiment to do if you really, really believe that Zika is related to microcephaly, which sounds dubious to me. RNA-seq could slay this 19-headed hydra for good. That’s my contribution to the mass hysteria.  If you have an Illumina sequencer, and can get the tissue samples, then I’ll consult with you on detecting the virus.

You can order Zika itself from ATCC, but there’s really no need. It’s already been sequenced.

This might offend some people but that’s how science is done.

The worst part is they’re very likely causing more microcephaly by spraying people with pesticide, than there is from Zika.

Once again the solution is the problem. Just please people, don’t be chumps. Stand up for your rights and your unborn children- and in this case, that means refusing to fly on any airline that is spraying customers with pesticide, and suing them if you’ve been exposed without your consent.

Here’s little Zika, for posterity.:

          agttgttgat ctgtgtgagt cagactgcga cagttcgagt ctgaagcgag agctaacaac
       61 agtatcaaca ggtttaattt ggatttggaa acgagagttt ctggtcatga aaaaccccaa
      121 agaagaaatc cggaggatcc ggattgtcaa tatgctaaaa cgcggagtag cccgtgtaaa
      181 ccccttggga ggtttgaaga ggttgccagc cggacttctg ctgggtcatg gacccatcag
      241 aatggttttg gcgatactag cctttttgag atttacagca atcaagccat cactgggcct
      301 tatcaacaga tggggttccg tggggaaaaa agaggctatg gaaataataa agaagttcaa
      361 gaaagatctt gctgccatgt tgagaataat caatgctagg aaagagagga agagacgtgg
      421 cgcagacacc agcatcggaa tcattggcct cctgctgact acagccatgg cagcagagat
      481 cactagacgc gggagtgcat actacatgta cttggatagg agcgatgccg ggaaggccat
      541 ttcgtttgct accacattgg gagtgaacaa gtgccacgta cagatcatgg acctcgggca
      601 catgtgtgac gccaccatga gttatgagtg ccctatgctg gatgagggag tggaaccaga
      661 tgatgtcgat tgctggtgca acacgacatc aacttgggtt gtgtacggaa cctgtcatca
      721 caaaaaaggt gaggcacggc gatctagaag agccgtgacg ctcccttctc actctacaag
      781 gaagttgcaa acgcggtcgc agacctggtt agaatcaaga gaatacacga agcacttgat
      841 caaggttgaa aactggatat tcaggaaccc cgggtttgcg ctagtggccg ttgccattgc
      901 ctggcttttg ggaagctcga cgagccaaaa agtcatatac ttggtcatga tactgctgat
      961 tgccccggca tacagtatca ggtgcattgg agtcagcaat agagacttcg tggagggcat
     1021 gtcaggtggg acctgggttg atgttgtctt ggaacatgga ggctgcgtta ccgtgatggc
     1081 acaggacaag ccaacagtcg acatagagtt ggtcacgacg acggttagta acatggccga
     1141 ggtaagatcc tattgctacg aggcatcgat atcggacatg gcttcggaca gtcgttgccc
     1201 aacacaaggt gaagcctacc ttgacaagca atcagacact caatatgtct gcaaaagaac
     1261 attagtggac agaggttggg gaaacggttg tggacttttt ggcaaaggga gcttggtgac
     1321 atgtgccaag tttacgtgtt ctaagaagat gaccgggaag agcattcaac cggaaaatct
     1381 ggagtatcgg ataatgctat cagtgcatgg ctcccagcat agcgggatga ttggatatga
     1441 aactgacgaa gatagagcga aagtcgaggt tacgcctaat tcaccaagag cggaagcaac
     1501 cttgggaggc tttggaagct taggacttga ctgtgaacca aggacaggcc ttgacttttc
     1561 agatctgtat tacctgacca tgaacaataa gcattggttg gtgcacaaag agtggtttca
     1621 tgacatccca ttgccttggc atgctggggc agacaccgga actccacact ggaacaacaa
     1681 agaggcattg gtagaattca aggatgccca cgccaagagg caaaccgtcg tcgttctggg
     1741 gagccaggaa ggagccgttc acacggctct cgctggagct ctagaggctg agatggatgg
     1801 tgcaaaggga aggctgttct ctggccattt gaaatgccgc ctaaaaatgg acaagcttag
     1861 attgaagggc gtgtcatatt ccttgtgcac tgcggcattc acattcacca aggtcccagc
     1921 tgaaacactg catggaacag tcacagtgga ggtgcagtat gcagggacag atggaccctg
     1981 caagatccca gtccagatgg cggtggacat gcagaccctg accccagttg gaaggctgat
     2041 aaccgccaac cccgtgatta ctgaaagcac tgagaactca aagatgatgt tggagcttga
     2101 cccaccattt ggggattctt acattgtcat aggagttggg gacaagaaaa tcacccacca
     2161 ctggcatagg agtggtagca ccatcggaaa ggcatttgag gccactgtga gaggcgccaa
     2221 gagaatggca gtcctggggg atacagcctg ggacttcgga tcagtcgggg gtgtgttcaa
     2281 ctcactgggt aagggcattc accagatttt tggagcagcc ttcaaatcac tgtttggagg
     2341 aatgtcctgg ttctcacaga tcctcatagg cacgctgcta gtgtggttag gtttgaacac
     2401 aaagaatgga tctatctccc tcacatgctt ggccctgggg ggagtgatga tcttcctctc
     2461 cacggctgtt tctgctgacg tggggtgctc agtggacttc tcaaaaaagg aaacgagatg
     2521 tggcacgggg gtattcatct ataatgatgt tgaagcctgg agggaccggt acaagtacca
     2581 tcctgactcc ccccgcagat tggcagcagc agtcaagcag gcctgggaag aggggatctg
     2641 tgggatctca tccgtttcaa gaatggaaaa catcatgtgg aaatcagtag aaggggagct
     2701 caatgctatc ctagaggaga atggagttca actgacagtt gttgtgggat ctgtaaaaaa
     2761 ccccatgtgg agaggtccac aaagattgcc agtgcctgtg aatgagctgc cccatggctg
     2821 gaaagcctgg gggaaatcgt attttgttag ggcggcaaag accaacaaca gttttgttgt
     2881 cgacggtgac acactgaagg aatgtccgct tgagcacaga gcatggaata gttttcttgt
     2941 ggaggatcac gggtttggag tcttccacac cagtgtctgg cttaaggtca gagaagatta
     3001 ctcattagaa tgtgacccag ccgtcatagg aacagctgtt aagggaaggg aggccgcgca
     3061 cagtgatctg ggctattgga ttgaaagtga aaagaatgac acatggaggc tgaagagggc
     3121 ccacctgatt gagatgaaaa catgtgaatg gccaaagtct cacacattgt ggacagatgg
     3181 agtagaagaa agtgatctta tcatacccaa gtctttagct ggtccactca gccaccacaa
     3241 caccagagag ggttacagaa cccaagtgaa agggccatgg cacagtgaag agcttgaaat
     3301 ccggtttgag gaatgtccag gcaccaaggt ttacgtggag gagacatgcg gaactagagg
     3361 accatctctg agatcaacta ctgcaagtgg aagggtcatt gaggaatggt gctgtaggga
     3421 atgcacaatg cccccactat cgtttcgagc aaaagacggc tgctggtatg gaatggagat
     3481 aaggcccagg aaagaaccag agagcaactt agtgaggtca atggtgacag cggggtcaac
     3541 cgatcatatg gaccacttct ctcttggagt gcttgtgatt ctactcatgg tgcaggaggg
     3601 gttgaagaag agaatgacca caaagatcat catgagcaca tcaatggcag tgctggtagt
     3661 catgatcttg ggaggatttt caatgagtga cctggccaag cttgtgatcc tgatgggtgc
     3721 tactttcgca gaaatgaaca ctggaggaga tgtagctcac ttggcattgg tagcggcatt
     3781 taaagtcaga ccagccttgc tggtctcctt cattttcaga gccaattgga caccccgtga
     3841 gagcatgctg ctagccctgg cttcgtgtct tctgcaaact gcgatctctg ctcttgaagg
     3901 tgacttgatg gtcctcatta atggatttgc tttggcctgg ttggcaattc gagcaatggc
     3961 cgtgccacgc actgacaaca tcgctctacc aatcttggct gctctaacac cactagctcg
     4021 aggcacactg ctcgtggcat ggagagcggg cctggctact tgtggaggga tcatgctcct
     4081 ctccctgaaa gggaaaggta gtgtgaagaa gaacctgcca tttgtcatgg ccctgggatt
     4141 gacagctgtg agggtagtag accctattaa tgtggtagga ctactgttac tcacaaggag
     4201 tgggaagcgg agctggcccc ctagtgaagt tctcacagcc gttggcctga tatgtgcact
     4261 ggccggaggg tttgccaagg cagacattga gatggctgga cccatggctg cagtaggctt
     4321 gctaattgtc agctatgtgg tctcgggaaa gagtgtggac atgtacattg aaagagcagg
     4381 tgacatcaca tgggaaaagg acgcggaagt cactggaaac agtcctcggc ttgacgtggc
     4441 actggatgag agtggtgact tctccttggt agaggaagat ggtccaccca tgagagagat
     4501 catactcaag gtggtcctga tggccatctg tggcatgaac ccaatagcta taccttttgc
     4561 tgcaggagcg tggtatgtgt atgtgaagac tgggaaaagg agtggcgccc tctgggacgt
     4621 gcctgctccc aaagaagtga agaaaggaga gaccacagat ggagtgtaca gagtgatgac
     4681 tcgcagactg ctaggttcaa cacaggttgg agtgggagtc atgcaagagg gagtcttcca
     4741 caccatgtgg cacgttacaa aaggagccgc actgaggagc ggtgagggaa gacttgatcc
     4801 atactggggg gatgtcaagc aggacttggt gtcatactgt gggccttgga agttggatgc
     4861 agcttgggat ggactcagcg aggtacagct tttggccgta cctcccggag agagggccag
     4921 aaacattcag accctgcctg gaatattcaa gacaaaggac ggggacatcg gagcagttgc
     4981 tctggactac cctgcaggga cctcaggatc tccgatccta gacaaatgtg gaagagtgat
     5041 aggactctat ggcaatgggg ttgtgatcaa gaatggaagc tatgttagtg ctataaccca
     5101 gggaaagagg gaggaggaga ctccggttga atgtttcgaa ccctcgatgc tgaagaagaa
     5161 gcagctaact gtcttggatc tgcatccagg agccggaaaa accaggagag ttcttcctga
     5221 aatagtccgt gaagccataa aaaagagact ccggacagtg atcttggcac caactagggt
     5281 tgtcgctgct gagatggagg aggccttgag aggacttccg gtgcgttaca tgacaacagc
     5341 agtcaacgtc acccattctg ggacagaaat cgttgatttg atgtgccatg ccactttcac
     5401 ttcacgctta ctacaaccca tcagagtccc taattacaat ctcaacatca tggatgaagc
     5461 ccacttcaca gacccctcaa gtatagctgc aagaggatac atatcaacaa gggttgaaat
     5521 gggcgaggcg gctgccattt ttatgactgc cacaccacca ggaacccgtg atgcgtttcc
     5581 tgactctaac tcaccaatca tggacacaga agtggaagtc ccagagagag cctggagctc
     5641 aggctttgat tgggtgacag accattctgg gaaaacagtt tggttcgttc caagcgtgag
     5701 aaacggaaat gaaatcgcag cctgtctgac aaaggctgga aagcgggtca tacagctcag
     5761 caggaagact tttgagacag aatttcagaa aacaaaaaat caagagtggg actttgtcat
     5821 aacaactgac atctcagaga tgggcgccaa cttcaaggct gaccgggtca tagactctag
     5881 gagatgccta aaaccagtca tacttgatgg tgagagagtc atcttggctg ggcccatgcc
     5941 tgtcacgcat gctagtgctg ctcagaggag aggacgtata ggcaggaacc ctaacaaacc
     6001 tggagatgag tacatgtatg gaggtgggtg tgcagagact gatgaaggcc atgcacactg
     6061 gcttgaagca agaatgcttc ttgacaacat ctacctccag gatggcctca tagcctcgct
     6121 ctatcggcct gaggccgata aggtagccgc cattgaggga gagtttaagc tgaggacaga
     6181 gcaaaggaag accttcgtgg aactcatgaa gagaggagac cttcccgtct ggctagccta
     6241 tcaggttgca tctgccggaa taacttacac agacagaaga tggtgctttg atggcacaac
     6301 caacaacacc ataatggaag acagtgtacc agcagaggtt tggacaaagt atggagagaa
     6361 gagagtgctc aaaccgagat ggatggatgc tagggtctgt tcagaccatg cggccctgaa
     6421 gtcgttcaaa gaattcgccg ctggaaaaag aggagcggct ttgggagtaa tggaggccct
     6481 gggaacactg ccaggacaca tgacagagag gtttcaggaa gccattgaca acctcgccgt
     6541 gctcatgcga gcagagactg gaagcaggcc ttataaggca gcggcagccc aactgccgga
     6601 gaccctagag accattatgc tcttaggttt gctgggaaca gtttcactgg ggatcttctt
     6661 cgtcttgatg cggaataagg gcatcgggaa gatgggcttt ggaatggtaa cccttggggc
     6721 cagtgcatgg ctcatgtggc tttcggaaat tgaaccagcc agaattgcat gtgtcctcat
     6781 tgttgtgttt ttattactgg tggtgctcat acccgagcca gagaagcaaa gatctcccca
     6841 agataaccag atggcaatta tcatcatggt ggcagtgggc cttctaggtt tgataactgc
     6901 aaacgaactt ggatggctgg aaagaacaaa aaatgacata gctcatctaa tgggaaggag
     6961 agaagaagga gcaaccatgg gattctcaat ggacattgat ctgcggccag cctccgcctg
     7021 ggctatctat gccgcattga caactctcat caccccagct gtccaacatg cggtaaccac
     7081 ttcatacaac aactactcct taatggcgat ggccacacaa gctggagtgc tgtttggcat
     7141 gggcaaaggg atgccattta tgcatgggga ccttggagtc ccgctgctaa tgatgggttg
     7201 ctattcacaa ttaacacccc tgactctgat agtagctatc attctgcttg tggcgcacta
     7261 catgtacttg atcccaggcc tacaagcggc agcagcgcgt gctgcccaga aaaggacagc
     7321 agctggcatc atgaagaatc ccgttgtgga tggaatagtg gtaactgaca ttgacacaat
     7381 gacaatagac ccccaggtgg agaagaagat gggacaagtg ttactcatag cagtagccat
     7441 ctccagtgct gtgctgctgc ggaccgcctg gggatggggg gaggctggag ctctgatcac
     7501 agcagcgacc tccaccttgt gggaaggctc tccaaacaaa tactggaact cctctacagc
     7561 cacctcactg tgcaacatct tcagaggaag ctatctggca ggagcttccc ttatctatac
     7621 agtgacgaga aacgctggcc tggttaagag acgtggaggt gggacgggag agactctggg
     7681 agagaagtgg aaagctcgtc tgaatcagat gtcggccctg gagttctact cttataaaaa
     7741 gtcaggtatc actgaagtgt gtagagagga ggctcgccgt gccctcaagg atggagtggc
     7801 cacaggagga catgccgtat cccggggaag tgcaaagatc agatggttgg aggagagagg
     7861 atatctgcag ccctatggga aggttgttga cctcggatgt ggcagagggg gctggagcta
     7921 ttatgccgcc accatccgca aagtgcagga ggtgagagga tacacaaagg gaggtcccgg
     7981 tcatgaagaa cccatgctgg tgcaaagcta tgggtggaac atagttcgtc tcaagagtgg
     8041 agtggacgtc ttccacatgg cggctgagcc gtgtgacact ctgctgtgtg acataggtga
     8101 gtcatcatct agtcctgaag tggaagagac acgaacactc agagtgctct ctatggtggg
     8161 ggactggctt gaaaaaagac caggggcctt ctgtataaag gtgctgtgcc catacaccag
     8221 cactatgatg gaaaccatgg agcgactgca acgtaggcat gggggaggat tagtcagagt
     8281 gccattgtgt cgcaactcca cacatgagat gtactgggtc tctggggcaa agagcaacat
     8341 cataaaaagt gtgtccacca caagtcagct cctcctggga cgcatggatg gccccaggag
     8401 gccagtgaaa tatgaggagg atgtgaacct cggctcgggt acacgagctg tggcaagctg
     8461 tgctgaggct cctaacatga aaatcatcgg caggcgcatt gagagaatcc gcaatgaaca
     8521 tgcagaaaca tggtttcttg atgaaaacca cccatacagg acatgggcct accatgggag
     8581 ctacgaagcc cccacgcaag gatcagcgtc ttccctcgtg aacggggttg ttagactcct
     8641 gtcaaagcct tgggacgtgg tgactggagt tacaggaata gccatgactg acaccacacc
     8701 atacggccaa caaagagtct tcaaagaaaa agtggacacc agggtgccag atccccaaga
     8761 aggcactcgc caggtaatga acatagtctc ttcctggctg tggaaggagc tggggaaacg
     8821 caagcggcca cgcgtctgca ccaaagaaga gtttatcaac aaggtgcgca gcaatgcagc
     8881 actgggagca atatttgaag aggaaaaaga atggaagacg gctgtggaag ctgtgaatga
     8941 tccaaggttt tgggccctag tggataggga gagagaacac cacctgagag gagagtgtca
     9001 cagctgtgtg tacaacatga tgggaaaaag agaaaagaag caaggagagt tcgggaaagc
     9061 aaaaggtagc cgcgccatct ggtacatgtg gttgggagcc agattcttgg agtttgaagc
     9121 ccttggattc ttgaacgagg accattggat gggaagagaa aactcaggag gtggagtcga
     9181 agggttagga ttgcaaagac ttggatacat tctagaagaa atgaatcggg caccaggagg
     9241 aaagatgtac gcagatgaca ctgctggctg ggacacccgc attagtaagt ttgatctgga
     9301 gaatgaagct ctgattacca accaaatgga ggaagggcac agaactctgg cgttggccgt
     9361 gattaaatac acataccaaa acaaagtggt gaaggttctc agaccagctg aaggaggaaa
     9421 aacagttatg gacatcattt caagacaaga ccagagaggg agtggacaag ttgtcactta
     9481 tgctctcaac acattcacca acttggtggt gcagcttatc cggaacatgg aagctgagga
     9541 agtgttagag atgcaagact tatggttgtt gaggaagcca gagaaagtga ccagatggtt
     9601 gcagagcaat ggatgggata gactcaaacg aatggcggtc agtggagatg actgcgttgt
     9661 gaagccaatc gatgataggt ttgcacatgc cctcaggttc ttgaatgaca tgggaaaagt
     9721 taggaaagac acacaggagt ggaaaccctc gactggatgg agcaattggg aagaagtccc
     9781 gttctgctcc caccacttca acaagctgta cctcaaggat gggagatcca ttgtggtccc
     9841 ttgccgccac caagatgaac tgattggccg agctcgcgtc tcaccagggg caggatggag
     9901 catccgggag actgcctgtc ttgcaaaatc atatgcgcag atgtggcagc tcctttattt
     9961 ccacagaaga gaccttcgac tgatggctaa tgccatttgc tcggctgtgc cagttgactg
    10021 ggtaccaact gggagaacca cctggtcaat ccatggaaag ggagaatgga tgaccactga
    10081 ggacatgctc atggtgtgga atagagtgtg gattgaggag aacgaccata tggaggacaa
    10141 gactcctgta acaaaatgga cagacattcc ctatctagga aaaagggagg acttatggtg
    10201 tggatccctt atagggcaca gaccccgcac cacttgggct gaaaacatca aagacacagt
    10261 caacatggtg cgcaggatca taggtgatga agaaaagtac atggactatc tatccaccca
    10321 agtccgctac ttgggtgagg aagggtccac acccggagtg ttgtaagcac caattttagt
    10381 gttgtcaggc ctgctagtca gccacagttt ggggaaagct gtgcagcctg taaccccccc
    10441 aggagaagct gggaaaccaa gctcatagtc aggccgagaa cgccatggca cggaagaagc
    10501 catgctgcct gtgagcccct cagaggacac tgagtcaaaa aaccccacgc gcttggaagc
    10561 gcaggatggg aaaagaaggt ggcgaccttc cccacccttc aatctggggc ctgaactgga
    10621 gactagctgt gaatctccag cagagggact agtggttaga ggagaccccc cggaaaacgc
    10681 aaaacagcat attgacgtgg gaaagaccag agactccatg agtttccacc acgctggccg
    10741 ccaggcacag atcgccgaac ttcggcggcc ggtgtgggga aatccatggt ttct