Treating the Zika virus

As a physician, I both applaud and thank you for your excellent coverage of the Zika virus.

I found one problem with your bullet points that should be addressed.

You advised quite properly to avoid aspirin. Use of aspirin during chicken pox or influenza is the major cause of Reye’s syndrome. Reye’s is an often fatal form of liver failure usually seen in children under 18.

Before 1980 there were on average 555 cases a year in the U.S. That is down to 36 now largely due to the facts that we recognized the association with aspirin and largely eliminated chicken pox through vaccination.

One of the bullets recommended using acetaminophen, brand name Tylenol and Panadol or Anacin. Anacin contains aspirin and caffeine. It should not be used in chicken pox or influenza in young people.

This story was originally published January 30, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "Treating the Zika virus."