From the Guidelines
Zika Virus Definition
Zika virus (Zika) is a Flavivirus that can be transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, as well as through unprotected sex with an infected partner 1.
Key Characteristics
- Transmission: Primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes aegypti mosquito, but also through unprotected sex with an infected partner 1.
- Infection during pregnancy: Can cause fetal brain abnormalities and other serious birth defects, including microcephaly 1.
- Symptoms: Can include fever, rash, myalgia, and arthralgia 1.
- Diagnostic tests: Include nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for viral RNA, serologic evaluation for IgM antibodies to the virus, and PRNTs (plaque reduction neutralization tests) for detection of neutralizing antibodies to arboviruses 1.
Important Considerations
- Pregnant women: Should be evaluated and managed for possible adverse outcomes if they have laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection during pregnancy 1.
- Prevention: Men with possible Zika virus exposure who are planning to conceive with their partner should wait for at least 3 months after symptom onset (if symptomatic) or their last possible Zika virus exposure (if asymptomatic) before engaging in unprotected sex 1.
- Sexual transmission: Can occur from a man to a woman, as well as from a man to another man and from a woman to a man 1.
Clinical Guidance
- Diagnostic testing: Should be performed on serum and urine specimens collected as soon as possible within 12 weeks of symptom onset for concurrent dengue and Zika virus NAATs and IgM antibody testing 1.
- Management: Patients with clinically suspected dengue should receive appropriate management to monitor and treat shock and hemorrhage, while women with laboratory evidence of possible Zika virus infection during pregnancy and their infants should be evaluated and managed for possible adverse outcomes 1.
From the Research
Definition and Transmission of Zika Virus
- Zika virus (Zika) is a mosquitoborne flavivirus that has become a significant public health concern 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- It is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes, particularly Aedes aegypti 2, 4, 5, 6.
- Zika virus can also be transmitted through sexual contact, nonsexual body fluids, and perinatally 5.
Characteristics and Effects of Zika Virus Infection
- Most Zika virus infections are characterized by subclinical or mild influenza-like illness 2.
- However, severe manifestations have been described, including Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults and microcephaly in babies born to infected mothers 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- Zika virus has a unique ability to use the host machinery to promote viral replication in a tissue-specific manner, resulting in characteristic pathological disorders 3.
- The virus has developed mechanisms to evade the host immune response, allowing for the establishment of viral persistence and enhancing viral pathogenesis 3.
Current State of Research and Public Health Response
- Despite growing knowledge about Zika virus, questions remain regarding the virus's vectors and reservoirs, pathogenesis, genetic diversity, and potential synergistic effects of co-infection with other circulating viruses 2.
- Research is ongoing to optimize surveillance, patient management, and public health intervention in the current Zika virus epidemic 2, 4.
- Several vaccine candidates are in active preclinical development, and some have already entered phase I clinical trials 4.
- Many different compounds targeting viral and cellular components are being tested in in vitro and experimental animal models 4.