The severity of the condition may depend on the timing of infection during pregnancy.Microcephaly is a feature common to several different genetic disorders arising from a deficiency in the cellular DNA damage response. Individuals with the following DNA damage response disorders exhibit microcephaly: Nijmegen breakage syndrome, ATR-Seckel syndrome, MCPH1-dependent primary microcephaly disorder, xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A deficiency, Fanconi anemia, ligase 4 deficiency syndrome and Bloom syndrome. These findings suggest that a normal DNA damage response is critical during brain development, perhaps to protect against induction of apoptosis by DNA damage occurring in neurons. Treatment
There is no known cure for microcephaly. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive. Because some cases of microcephaly and its associated symptoms may be a result of amino acid deficiencies, treatment with amino acids in these cases has been shown to improve symptoms such as seizures and motor function delays. History
People with small heads were displayed as a public spectacle in ancient Rome.People with microcephaly were sometimes sold to freak shows in North America and Europe in the 19th and early 20th centuries, where they were known by the name "pinheads". Many of them were presented as different species (e.g., "monkey man") and described as being the missing link. Famous examples include Zip the Pinhead (although he may not have had microcephaly), Maximo and Bartola, and Schlitzie the Pinhead,. Zip the Pinhead and Schlitzie the Pinhead, also stars of the 1932 film Freaks, were cited as influences on the development of the long-running comic strip character Zippy the Pinhead, created by Bill Griffith.
Filgrastim, sold under the brand name Neupogen among others, is a medication used to treat low neutrophil count. Low neutrophil counts may occur with HIV/AIDS, following chemotherapy or radiation poisoning, or be of an unknown cause. It may also be used to increase white blood cells for gathering during leukapheresis. It is given either by injection into a vein or under the skin.Common side effects include fever, cough, chest pain, joint pain, vomiting, and hair loss. Severe side effects include splenic rupture and allergic reactions. It is unclear if use in pregnancy is safe for the baby. Filgrastim is a recombinant-DNA form of the naturally occurring granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). It works by stimulating the body to increase neutrophil production.Filgrastim was approved for medical use in the United States in 1991. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. Filgrastim biosimilar medications are available. Medical uses
Filgrastim is used to treat neutropenia, stimulating the bone marrow to increase production of neutrophils. Causes of neutropenia include chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation. Adverse effects
The most commonly observed adverse effect is mild bone pain after repeated administration, and local skin reactions at the site of injection. Other observed adverse effects include serious allergic reactions (including a rash over the whole body, shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness, swelling around the mouth or eyes, fast pulse, and sweating), ruptured spleen (sometimes resulting in death), alveolar hemorrhage, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and hemoptysis.