Zika fever

"Zika" redirects here. For other uses, see Zika (disambiguation).

Zika fever
Other namesZika virus disease, Zika, Zika virus infection
Rash during Zika fever infection
Pronunciation
SpecialtyInfectious disease
SymptomsFever, red eyes, joint pain, headache, maculopapular rash, Sometimes none[1][2][3]
ComplicationsGuillain–Barré syndrome, during pregnancy can cause microcephaly in the baby[4][5][6]
DurationShort-term[2]
CausesZika virus mainly spread by mosquitoes, can also be sexually transmitted[2]
Diagnostic methodTesting blood, urine, or saliva for viral RNA or blood for antibodies[1][2]
Differential diagnosisChikungunya, malaria, dengue, leptospirosis, measles[7]
PreventionPermethrin, DEET, picaridin, male condoms[2][8]
TreatmentSupportive care, Generally not needed in mild cases[2]
Deaths≥ 51 (2016–19)[9]

Zika fever, also known as Zika virus disease or simply Zika, is an infectious disease caused by the Zika virus.[1] Most cases have no symptoms, but when present they are usually mild and can resemble dengue fever.[1][4] Symptoms may include fever, red eyes, joint pain, headache, and a maculopapular rash.[1][2][3] Symptoms generally last less than seven days.[2] It has not caused any reported deaths during the initial infection.[4] Mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and other brain malformations in some babies.[5][6] Infections in adults have been linked to Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS).[4]

Zika fever is mainly spread via the bite of mosquitoes of the Aedes type.[2] It can also be sexually transmitted and potentially spread by blood transfusions.[2][8] Infections in pregnant women can spread to the baby.[5][6][10] Diagnosis is by testing the blood, urine, or saliva for the presence of the virus's RNA when the person is sick, or the blood for antibodies after symptoms are present more than a week.[1][2]

Prevention involves decreasing mosquito bites in areas where the disease occurs and proper use of condoms.[2][8] Efforts to prevent bites include the use of insect repellent, covering much of the body with clothing, mosquito nets, and getting rid of standing water where mosquitoes reproduce.[1] There is no effective vaccine.[2] Health officials recommended that women in areas affected by the 2015–16 Zika outbreak consider putting off pregnancy and that pregnant women not travel to these areas.[2][11] While there is no specific treatment, paracetamol (acetaminophen) may help with the symptoms.[2] Admission to hospital is rarely necessary.[4]

The virus that causes the disease was first isolated in Africa in 1947.[12] The first documented outbreak among people occurred in 2007 in the Federated States of Micronesia.[2] An outbreak started in Brazil in 2015, and spread to the Americas, Pacific, Asia, and Africa.[13] This led the World Health Organization to declare it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in February 2016.[13] The emergency was lifted in November 2016, but 84 countries still reported cases as of March 2017.[14] The last proven case of Zika spread in the Continental United States was in 2017.[15]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Zika virus". World Health Organization. January 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Chen, Lin H.; Hamer, Davidson H. (2016). "Ideas and Opinions. Zika Virus: Rapid Spread in the Western Hemisphere". Annals of Internal Medicine. 164 (9): 613–5. doi:10.7326/M16-0150. ISSN 0003-4819. PMID 26832396.
  3. ^ a b Musso, D.; Nilles, E.J.; Cao-Lormeau, V.-M. (2014). "Rapid spread of emerging Zika virus in the Pacific area". Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 20 (10): O595–6. doi:10.1111/1469-0691.12707. PMID 24909208.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Factsheet for health professionals". Zika virus infection. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. 3 September 2010. Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Rasmussen, Sonja A.; Jamieson, Denise J.; Honein, Margaret A.; Petersen, Lyle R. (2016). "Zika Virus and Birth Defects — Reviewing the Evidence for Causality". New England Journal of Medicine. 374 (20): 1981–1987. doi:10.1056/NEJMsr1604338. ISSN 0028-4793. PMID 27074377.
  6. ^ a b c "CDC Concludes Zika Causes Microcephaly and Other Birth Defects". CDC. 13 April 2016. Archived from the original on 14 April 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  7. ^ Bope, Edward T.; Kellerman, Rick D. (2016). Conn's Current Therapy 2017 E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 635. ISBN 978-0-323-44335-7. Archived from the original on 10 September 2017.
  8. ^ a b c Oster, Alexandra M.; Russell, Kate; Stryker, Jo Ellen; Friedman, Allison; Kachur, Rachel E.; Petersen, Emily E.; Jamieson, Denise J.; Cohn, Amanda C.; Brooks, John T. (1 April 2016). "Update: Interim Guidance for Prevention of Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus — United States, 2016". MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 65 (12): 323–325. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6512e3. PMID 27032078.
  9. ^ Cardona-Ospina, Jaime A.; Henao-SanMartina, Valentina; F.Acevedo-Mendoza, Wilmer; Nasner-Posso, Katherinn Melissa; F.Martínez-Pulgarín, Dayron; Restrepo-López, Abril; Valencia-Gallego, Valentina; Collins, Matthew H.; Rodriguez-Morales, Alfonso J. (6 September 2019). "Fatal Zika virus infection in the Americas: A systematic review". International Journal of Infectious Diseases. 88: 49–59. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2019.08.033. PMID 31499212. S2CID 202414341. A systematic review of the literature was performed, showing 51 reported deaths associated with ZIKV infection in nine countries.
  10. ^ "Zika Virus Microcephaly And Guillain–Barré Syndrome Situation Report" (PDF). World Health Organization. 7 April 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 April 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
  11. ^ "Brazil warns against pregnancy due to spreading virus". CNN. 24 December 2015. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2015.
  12. ^ Olson, Ken E.; Haddow, Andrew D.; Schuh, Amy J.; et al. (2012). "Genetic Characterization of Zika Virus Strains: Geographic Expansion of the Asian Lineage". PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. 6 (2): e1477. doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0001477. ISSN 1935-2735. PMC 3289602. PMID 22389730.
  13. ^ a b "WHO Director-General summarizes the outcome of the Emergency Committee regarding clusters of microcephaly and Guillain–Barré syndrome". Media Centre. World Health Organization. 1 February 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  14. ^ "Zika situation report". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on 25 May 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  15. ^ "Zika Virus". CDC. 5 November 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2019.