Zika virus: Inside Uganda's forest where the disease originates (Africa)

The Zika virus, which has been linked to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains in Brazil, was discovered in a forest in the East African state of Uganda seven decades ago. BBC Africa's Catherine Byaruhanga visited the forest. 

The Zika forest is not well known in Uganda, and most people will be hard-pushed to tell you where it is. The word itself means overgrown in the local Luganda language. 

There is dense vegetation, a wide range of trees and lots of small animals. The only people you are likely to meet here are the forest-keeper and his family. They live in a small house made of corrugated iron sheets. 

The virus was discovered in the forest - then a hub of scientific research in East Africa - in 1947 by accident by Ugandan, American and European scientists working on another viral disease, Yellow Fever. 

While testing monkeys in the forest the scientists, whose research had been funded for a decade by the Rockefeller Foundation, came across a new microorganism, which they named Zika.

=> What is the Zika virus:

• Spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which also carries Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever
• First discovered in Uganda in 1947 but now spreading in Latin America
• Scientists say there is growing evidence of a link to microcephaly, that leads to babies being born with small heads
• Can lead to fever and a rash but most people show no symptoms, and there is no known cure
• Only way to fight Zika is to clear stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, and protect against mosquito bites

Zika: What you need to know

'The worst day of my life'

Only two cases of the virus have been confirmed in Uganda in the past seven decades. 

This is because the types of mosquitoes that would transmit the virus to humans don't often come into contact with the general population, says Dr Julius Lutwama, a leading virologist at the Uganda Virus Research Institute.

"The Aedes we have, Aedes aegypti formosus, normally does not bite humans. And then we have other [mosquitoes] which live in the forests and prefer to bite at dusk and dawn," Dr Lutwama adds. 

This is in contrast to Latin America, where a different sub species, Aedes aegypti aegypti, is spreading the Zika virus.

Much of the Zika forest, which is along the highway between the capital Kampala and Entebbe International Airport, has been lost to development projects, as Uganda's

population grows.

All around it new big houses with freshly tiled roofs are springing up. What's left of it is gazetted for scientific research. 

Several kilometres up the main road is the Uganda Virus Research Institute. It's a massive campus on a hill overlooking Lake Victoria. 

Security is tight here because samples of dangerous organisms like Ebola, Yellow Fever and Zika are stored there. 

This is also the only place in Uganda where you can test for Zika.

Read more »

Yogurt fruits can reduce stroke in women (Citrus fruits)

A study published in the American Heart Association found that a substance found in citrus fruits may help reduce the risk of stroke such pulmonary embolism in women.
Studies show that women who eat a lot of citrus fruits can reduce the risk of stroke up to 19 percent, compared with those who did not ate regularly.
 
 The study found that flavonoids in citrus fruits particularly powerful strokes. The substance is Phytochemicals-minute red, yellow and blue fruits and vegetables.

   The study found that flavonoids in citrus fruits particularly powerful strokes. The substance is Phytochemicals-minute red, yellow and blue fruits and vegetables.
   Other studies suggest that flavonoids loaded with antioxidants is a strong density can increase the efficiency of vitamin E and C. Besides, it also moves to prevent tumor.
   Plant foods are all sources of flavanols, but the largest concentration is in citrus fruits avocado green onions parsley and wine.
   Other studies say that's flavonoids citrus fruits are useful for blood flow and for vessels. Despite eating more fruits and vegetables and vitamin C can reduce the risk of stroke, flavanols provides protection through mechanisms such as the anti-inflammatory effect and improve cardiovascular function.
 

Read more »

How to exercise on their own to get the abdominal muscles 6 wheels

Exercise is important for everyone, and must exercise it lawfully, not only trained in accordance with one's self, because it can cause back injuries. Proper exercise can lead to a healthy, refreshing and beautiful shapes.

At the moment, we raised a number of ways, allowing readers a gentleman get a flat belly full of muscle bike 6 fascinating to women, so please read the following instructions:

1. Sleeping on the terraces after kneecap foot and both hands placed behind his head and trying to recover from the waist up slowly recovering enzyme.

2. Sleeping on the terraces kneecap as 1 point after cross both hands above the shoulder and try to recover from mid-back of the enzyme, and deep breathing.

3. Sleeping on the terraces both hands on the same terraces north side enzyme slowly.

4. Sleeping on the terraces of organizing body and arm both sides to straight after trying on foot from both sides together and recover themselves, take up arms touching the foot sides who raised together, and sleep back after this action the same gradual.

5. Sleep face down below the balance and try mau buttocks slowly enzyme.

6. sleep face down, and then use the same 5 points and try to keep the balance.

7. Sleep on the terrace, and took both hands placed slightly lifted its head turned to the left and right feet, and turn to the left, then reverse this act gradually.

8. Stand up both hands like a zombie and then sit on the seat, but must not use that chair and looked down gradually.

Hope the gentleman reader can follow the above instructions properly and get results.

Read more »