In a remarkable medical rarity, a Chinese newborn entered the world with an unexpected feature—a four-inch tail protruding from its back, leaving medical experts astounded by the anomaly. This unusual condition was identified by Dr&nbsp;Li, the deputy chief physician of Paediatric Neurosurgery, shortly after the baby's birth at Hangzhou Children's Hospital. Dr Li shared a video on social media, showing the extraordinary appendage emerging from the baby's posterior. The suspected cause was incomplete degeneration, later confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to be a tethered cord.

<h2>Understanding the tethered spinal cord condition</h2>

Measuring approximately 10 cm (3.9 inches) in length, the soft, boneless protrusion stemmed from a condition known as a tethered spinal cord. This condition arises when the spinal cord becomes abnormally connected to surrounding tissues, typically at the base of the spine. In the usual scenario, the spinal cord has&nbsp;unrestricted movement within the spinal canal, facilitating regular movement and function.

However, when tethered, the spinal cord's movement is constrained, potentially leading to a variety of neurological complications. This unique case quickly garnered attention on Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, where the video amassed over 34,000 likes and more than 145,000 shares within days of its posting on March 11.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/baby-dragons-to-rescue-china-here-is-why-beijing-is-counting-on-2024-to-fix-its-population-woes-681243">Also read |&nbsp;'Baby dragons' to rescue China? Beijing is counting on 2024 to fix its population woes - Here's Why</a>

<h2>Surgical dilemma: To remove or not to remove</h2>

Despite the mother's urging for doctors to intervene and remove her son's tail, surgeons opted against surgical intervention, as reported by the Mirror.&nbsp;Their decision stemmed from the understanding that since the tail was intricately connected to the baby's nervous system, its removal would likely result in irreversible damage.

This decision echoes a similar case in Guyana, South America, where surgeons successfully removed a tail from a 10-day-old baby in June of the previous year. In that instance, the baby boy was born with an abnormal spine, leading to the presence of a 'tail,' scientifically termed a caudal appendage.

Also watch |&nbsp;Chinese website AliExpress under EU scanner

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/chinese-website-aliexpress-under-eu-scanner-700273/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Scientists posit that the tailbone, or coccyx, serves as a vestige of our evolutionary past, no longer serving its original purpose. It stands as a reminder of our ancestral tails, which once played a crucial role in aiding balance during activities such as climbing trees.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a remarkable medical rarity, a Chinese newborn entered the world with an unexpected feature—a four-inch tail protruding from its back, leaving medical experts astounded by the anomaly.

In a remarkable medical rarity, a Chinese newborn entered the world with an unexpected feature—a four-inch tail protruding from its back, leaving medical experts astounded by the anomaly. This unusual condition was identified by Dr Li, the deputy chief physician of Paediatric Neurosurgery, shortly after the baby's birth at Hangzhou Children's Hospital. Dr Li shared a video on social media, showing the extraordinary appendage emerging from the baby's posterior. The suspected cause was incomplete degeneration, later confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to be a tethered cord. Understanding the tethered spinal cord condition Measuring approximately 10 cm (3.9 inches) in length, the soft, boneless protrusion stemmed from a condition known as a tethered spinal cord. This condition arises when the spinal cord becomes abnormally connected to surrounding tissues, typically at the base of the spine. In the usual scenario, the spinal cord has unrestricted movement within the spinal canal, facilitating regular movement and function. However, when tethered, the spinal cord's movement is constrained, potentially leading to a variety of neurological complications. This unique case quickly garnered attention on Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, where the video amassed over 34,000 likes and more than 145,000 shares within days of its posting on March 11. Also read | 'Baby dragons' to rescue China? Beijing is counting on 2024 to fix its population woes - Here's Why Surgical dilemma: To remove or not to remove Despite the mother's urging for doctors to intervene and remove her son's tail, surgeons opted against surgical intervention, as reported by the Mirror. Their decision stemmed from the understanding that since the tail was intricately connected to the baby's nervous system, its removal would likely result in irreversible damage. This decision echoes a similar case in Guyana, South America, where surgeons successfully removed a tail from a 10-day-old baby in June of the previous year. In that instance, the baby boy was born with an abnormal spine, leading to the presence of a 'tail,' scientifically termed a caudal appendage. Also watch | Chinese website AliExpress under EU scanner Scientists posit that the tailbone, or coccyx, serves as a vestige of our evolutionary past, no longer serving its original purpose. It stands as a reminder of our ancestral tails, which once played a crucial role in aiding balance during activities such as climbing trees. (With inputs from agencies)

Bizarre! Chinese baby born with tail as a result of rare birth defect

A report released yesterday shows in graphic detail the kind of damage Zika infections can do to the developing brain - damage that goes well beyond the devastating birth defect known as microcephaly, in which the baby&#39;s head is smaller than normal. 
 
The current Zika outbreak was first detected last year in Brazil, where the virus has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly, which can cause severe developmental problems. 
 
Prior research has shown the Zika virus attacks neural progenitor cells - a type of stem cell that develops into different types of nerve or brain cells. 
 
The latest research, published in the journal Radiology, draws from imaging and autopsy findings linked with confirmed Zika infections done on 17 infants and fetuses cared for at the Instituto de Pesquisa, in Campina Grande in the state of Paraiba in northeastern Brazil, where the infection has been especially severe. 
 
The study also included reports on 28 fetuses or newborns with brain anomalies whose mothers were suspected of having Zika during pregnancy. 
 
Nearly all babies in each group had ventriculomegaly, a condition in which the ventricles, or fluid-filled spaces in the brain, are enlarged. 
 
While most of the fetuses had at least one exam showing abnormally small head circumference, suggesting they had microcephaly, three of the fetuses with ventriculomegaly had normal head circumference, but severe ventriculomegaly. 
 
Nearly all of the fetuses or babies in the confirmed Zika group and nearly 80 per cent of those in the presumed Zika group also had abnormalities of the corpus callosum - a large bundle of nerves that facilitates communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. 
 
In all but one of the cases studied, the researchers found instances in which developing neurons did not travel to their proper destination in the brain. 
 
In many cases, the babies&#39; skulls seemed to have collapsed on themselves, with overlapping tissues and abnormal skin folds suggestive of a brain that had stopped growing. 
 
&quot;From an imaging standpoint, the abnormalities in the brain are very severe when compared to other congenital infections,&rdquo; said study co-author Dr. Deborah Levine of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a radiology professor at Harvard Medical School. 
 
As with other reports, the paper suggests that Zika does the most harm in the first trimester of pregnancy. The researchers plan to keep following the cases to see what impact prenatal Zika infections have on future brain development. 
 
There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 per cent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected. 
 
Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans. A small number of cases of sexual transmission have been reported in the United States and elsewhere. 
 
(Reuters)

Nearly all babies in each group had ventriculomegaly, a condition in which the fluid-filled spaces in the brain, are enlarged

A report released yesterday shows in graphic detail the kind of damage Zika infections can do to the developing brain - damage that goes well beyond the devastating birth defect known as microcephaly, in which the baby's head is smaller than normal. The current Zika outbreak was first detected last year in Brazil, where the virus has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly, which can cause severe developmental problems. Prior research has shown the Zika virus attacks neural progenitor cells - a type of stem cell that develops into different types of nerve or brain cells. The latest research, published in the journal Radiology, draws from imaging and autopsy findings linked with confirmed Zika infections done on 17 infants and fetuses cared for at the Instituto de Pesquisa, in Campina Grande in the state of Paraiba in northeastern Brazil, where the infection has been especially severe. The study also included reports on 28 fetuses or newborns with brain anomalies whose mothers were suspected of having Zika during pregnancy. Nearly all babies in each group had ventriculomegaly, a condition in which the ventricles, or fluid-filled spaces in the brain, are enlarged. While most of the fetuses had at least one exam showing abnormally small head circumference, suggesting they had microcephaly, three of the fetuses with ventriculomegaly had normal head circumference, but severe ventriculomegaly. Nearly all of the fetuses or babies in the confirmed Zika group and nearly 80 per cent of those in the presumed Zika group also had abnormalities of the corpus callosum - a large bundle of nerves that facilitates communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. In all but one of the cases studied, the researchers found instances in which developing neurons did not travel to their proper destination in the brain. In many cases, the babies' skulls seemed to have collapsed on themselves, with overlapping tissues and abnormal skin folds suggestive of a brain that had stopped growing. "From an imaging standpoint, the abnormalities in the brain are very severe when compared to other congenital infections,” said study co-author Dr. Deborah Levine of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a radiology professor at Harvard Medical School. As with other reports, the paper suggests that Zika does the most harm in the first trimester of pregnancy. The researchers plan to keep following the cases to see what impact prenatal Zika infections have on future brain development. There is no vaccine or treatment for Zika, which is a close cousin of dengue and chikungunya and causes mild fever, rash and red eyes. An estimated 80 per cent of people infected have no symptoms, making it difficult for pregnant women to know whether they have been infected. Zika is carried by mosquitoes, which transmit the virus to humans. A small number of cases of sexual transmission have been reported in the United States and elsewhere. (Reuters)

Study shows extent of brain damage from Zika infections

One of the top US public health officials yesterday warned that the mosquito-borne Zika virus could extend its reach across the US Gulf Coast after officials last week confirmed it as active in the popular tourist destination of Miami Beach. 
 
The possibility of transmission in Gulf States such as Louisiana and Texas will likely fuel concerns that the virus, which has been shown to cause the severe birth defect known as microcephaly, could spread across the continental United States, even though officials have played down such an outcome. 
 
Concern has mounted since confirmation that Zika has expanded into a second region of the tourist hub of Miami-Dade County in Florida. Miami&#39;s Wynwood arts neighborhood last month became the site of the first locally transmitted cases of Zika in the continental United States. 
 
&quot;It would not be surprising we would see additional cases perhaps in other Gulf Coast states,&quot; Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the allergy and infectious diseases unit of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said in an interview yesterday morning with ABC News. 
 
Fauci noted that record flooding this month in Louisiana - which has killed at least 13 people and damaged some 60,000 homes damaged - has boosted the likelihood Zika will spread into that state. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s going to be a lot of problems getting rid of standing water&quot; that could stymie the mosquito control efforts that are the best way to control Zika&#39;s spread, he said. 
 
US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed 1,835 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. 
 
On Friday, Florida governor Rick Scott confirmed that state health officials had identified five cases of Zika believed to be contracted in Miami Beach. 
 
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told pregnant women they should avoid the trendy area and suggested those especially worried about exposure might consider avoiding all of Miami-Dade County. 
 
NIH&#39;s Fauci yesterday said the conditions of most of the country make it unlikely there would be a &quot;diffuse, broad outbreak,&quot; even though officials need to prepare for that possibility. 
 
He compared it with diseases such as Dengue, which is endemic in certain tropical and subtropical regions of the world but rarely occurs in the continental United States. In Miami&#39;s Wynwood area, experts have seen &quot;substantial&quot; knockdowns of mosquito populations. 
 
Still, its containment is more complicated because Zika can be sexually transmitted, Fauci said. 
 
&quot;This is something that could hang around for a year or two,&quot; he said. 
 
The World Health Organization has said there is a&nbsp;strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. 
 
(Reuters)

Record flooding this month in Louisiana has boosted the likelihood Zika will spread into that state

One of the top US public health officials yesterday warned that the mosquito-borne Zika virus could extend its reach across the US Gulf Coast after officials last week confirmed it as active in the popular tourist destination of Miami Beach. The possibility of transmission in Gulf States such as Louisiana and Texas will likely fuel concerns that the virus, which has been shown to cause the severe birth defect known as microcephaly, could spread across the continental United States, even though officials have played down such an outcome. Concern has mounted since confirmation that Zika has expanded into a second region of the tourist hub of Miami-Dade County in Florida. Miami's Wynwood arts neighborhood last month became the site of the first locally transmitted cases of Zika in the continental United States. "It would not be surprising we would see additional cases perhaps in other Gulf Coast states," Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the allergy and infectious diseases unit of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said in an interview yesterday morning with ABC News. Fauci noted that record flooding this month in Louisiana - which has killed at least 13 people and damaged some 60,000 homes damaged - has boosted the likelihood Zika will spread into that state. "There's going to be a lot of problems getting rid of standing water" that could stymie the mosquito control efforts that are the best way to control Zika's spread, he said. US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed 1,835 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. On Friday, Florida governor Rick Scott confirmed that state health officials had identified five cases of Zika believed to be contracted in Miami Beach. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told pregnant women they should avoid the trendy area and suggested those especially worried about exposure might consider avoiding all of Miami-Dade County. NIH's Fauci yesterday said the conditions of most of the country make it unlikely there would be a "diffuse, broad outbreak," even though officials need to prepare for that possibility. He compared it with diseases such as Dengue, which is endemic in certain tropical and subtropical regions of the world but rarely occurs in the continental United States. In Miami's Wynwood area, experts have seen "substantial" knockdowns of mosquito populations. Still, its containment is more complicated because Zika can be sexually transmitted, Fauci said. "This is something that could hang around for a year or two," he said. The World Health Organization has said there is a strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. (Reuters)

Top health official warns Zika could spread across US Gulf

New York City&#39;s health department today reported the first female-to-male transmission of the Zika virus which is most typically spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. 
 
Transmission of the virus occurred on the day that a woman in her 20s returned to New York from an area with active Zika transmission and had a single event of unprotected sex with a male partner. The man had not travelled outside of the United States in the prior year. 
 
The woman developed fever, fatigue a rash and body aches the next day and sought treatment. Health department officials then confirmed her infection. When her male partner developed symptoms seven days later and sought treatment from the same caregiver, he, too, was diagnosed with Zika. 
 
Health officials from New York, who reported the case in the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention&#39;s weekly report on death and disease, said the timing and sequence of events support female to male Zika virus transmission through unprotected vaginal sex. 
 
The CDC said it recommends that all pregnant women who have a sex partner who has travelled to or resides in an area with Zika use barrier methods every time they have sex or they should not have sex during the pregnancy. Although no cases of woman-to-woman Zika transmission have been reported, these recommendations now also apply to female sex partners of pregnant women. 
 
US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. 
 
The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. 
 
(Reuters)

The transmission of virus occurred from the female to male partner through unprotected sex, health officials in New York concluded

New York City's health department today reported the first female-to-male transmission of the Zika virus which is most typically spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. Transmission of the virus occurred on the day that a woman in her 20s returned to New York from an area with active Zika transmission and had a single event of unprotected sex with a male partner. The man had not travelled outside of the United States in the prior year. The woman developed fever, fatigue a rash and body aches the next day and sought treatment. Health department officials then confirmed her infection. When her male partner developed symptoms seven days later and sought treatment from the same caregiver, he, too, was diagnosed with Zika. Health officials from New York, who reported the case in the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention's weekly report on death and disease, said the timing and sequence of events support female to male Zika virus transmission through unprotected vaginal sex. The CDC said it recommends that all pregnant women who have a sex partner who has travelled to or resides in an area with Zika use barrier methods every time they have sex or they should not have sex during the pregnancy. Although no cases of woman-to-woman Zika transmission have been reported, these recommendations now also apply to female sex partners of pregnant women. US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis in adults. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. (Reuters)

New York City reports first female-to-male Zika transmission

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