Brazil hit by Zika, a mysterious rash of babies born with small heads

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2015, file photo, 10-year-old Elison nurses his 2-month-old brother Jose Wesley, who was born with microcephaly, at their house in Poco Fundo, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2016, that it has found the strongest evidence so far of a possible link between a mosquito-borne virus and a surge of birth defects in Brazil.

Gleyse Kelly da Silva, 27, holds her daughter Maria Giovanna, who was born with microcephaly, outside their house in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016.

In this Dec. 23, 2015 photo, 10-year-old Elison, left, watches as his mother Solange Ferreira bathes Jose Wesley in a bucket at their house in Poco Fundo, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Ferreira says Jose Wesley enjoys being in the water, she places him in the bucket several times a day to calm him. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 22, 2015 photo, Angelica Pereira holds Luiza outside their house in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Luiza was born in October with a rare condition, known as microcephaly. The Zika virus, first detected in humans about 40 years ago in Uganda, has long seen as a less-painful cousin to dengue and chikunguya, which are spread by the same Aedes mosquito. Until a few months ago, investigators had no reported evidence it might be related to microcephaly. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 22, 2015 photo, Angelica Pereira applies perfume on Luiza as her father Dejailson Arruda holds her at their house in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pernambuco state, Brazil. While thereâs never before been a detected link between the virus and microcephaly, âthere has never been an epidemic of Zika in the proportions that we are looking at now in Brazil,â said Pedro Fernando Vasconcelos, a researcher at Evandro Chagas Institute investigating an association between the virus and the birth defects. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 23, 2015 photo, plastic bags and trash lay on the ground in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, where many cases of Zika where reported in Pernambuco state, Brazil, Wednesday. The Zika virus, first detected about 40 years ago in Uganda, has long seen as a less-painful cousin to dengue and chikunguya, which are spread by the same Aedes mosquito. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 22, 2015 photo, Angelica Pereira, right, holds her daughter Luiza as she waits for their appointment with a neurologist at the Mestre Vitalino Hospital in Caruaru, Pernambuco state, Brazil. In November, Brazilian researchers detected the Zika virus genome in amniotic fluid samples from two women whose fetuses were been diagnosed with microcephaly by ultrasound exams, the Pan American Health Organization reported. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 23, 2015 photo, 5-year-old Elenilson, left, holds a notebook as he plays next to his 2-month-old brother Jose Wesley at their house in Poco Fundo, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Their mother, Solange Ferreira had never heard of microcephaly before her youngest son was diagnosed a couple of days after his birth. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 23, 2015 photo, Dejailson Arruda holds his daughter Luiza at their house in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pernambuco state, Brazil. More than 2,700 babies have been born in Brazil with microcephaly this year, up from fewer than 150 in 2014. Brazilâs health officials say theyâre convinced the jump is linked to a sudden outbreak of the Zika virus that infected Pereira, though international experts caution itâs far too early to be sure. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 23, 2015 photo, Solange Ferreira bathes her son Jose Wesley in a bucket at their house in Poco Fundo, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Ferreira says her son enjoys being in the water, she places him in the bucket several times a day to calm him. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 22, 2015 photo, Luiza has her head measured by a neurologist at the Mestre Vitalino Hospital in Caruaru, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Luiza was born in October with a head that was just 11.4 inches (29 centimeters) in diameter, more than an inch (3 centimeters) below the range defined as healthy by doctors. Her rare condition, known as microcephaly, often results in mental retardation. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

In this Dec. 23, 2015 photo, Dejailson Arruda holds his daughter Luiza at their house in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Luiza was born in October with a rare condition, known as microcephaly. Luiza's mother Angelica Pereira was infected with the Zika virus after a mosquito bite. Brazilian health authorities are convinced that Luiza's condition is related to the Zika virus that infected her mother during pregnancy. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)