Military Times reports that “while the U.S. Navy is better known for its role in protecting Americans from enemies abroad, its scientists also work in labs throughout the world, combatting an unseen enemy: infectious disease.”  

“And now, U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit 6, based in Lima, Peru, has set its sights on the Zika virus — declared by the World Health Organization to be a public health emergency.”  

“Zika, which is spread by mosquitos, was once thought to be a minor health threat because its symptoms were typically mild and lasted about a week. However, scientists increasingly believe there is a link between Zika infections in pregnant women and microcephaly in newborns, where the child’s head is unusually small due to abnormal brain development.”