What is the Zika virus?
La Zika virus infection It is usually a mild disease. It is caused by a virus transmitted by the mosquito bite of the genre Aedes.
Zika: An International Public Health Emergency
- As of 2007, only 14 human cases had been documented worldwide.
- That same year, the first outbreak of the Zika virus outside of Africa and Asia was recorded on the island of Yap (Micronesia).
- An outbreak began in Brazil in February 2015 and has spread to almost the entire country. Furthermore, local transmission has been detected in most South American countries.
- On February 1, 2016, the WHO declared the cluster of cases of microcephaly and other neurological disorders reported in some areas affected by the Zika virus a public health emergency of international concern.
Origin, history and transmission of the Zika virus
The Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 during surveillance studies of sylvatic yellow fever in rhesus monkeys in the Zika Forest of Uganda.
In this virus very similar to the yellow fever and dengue viruses.
The virus originally had a sylvatic cycle where non-human primates were the primary host.
There is also evidence that the vertical transmission from infected mothers is possible.
The virus has been detected in blood, saliva, urine, semen and breast milkTransmission through sexual contact and blood transfusion has been described. Possible transmission through breastfeeding is still under investigation.
Disease evolution
In general, the disease progresses without serious complications and hospitalization rates are low.
Viral infection has also been linked to the appearance of neurological malformations in newborns of mothers infected during pregnancy. In November 2015, an unusual increase in the incidence of microcephaly in newborns was observed in several states in northwestern Brazil.
More Information on the effects of the Zika virus on pregnant women in this article.
Article written by Dr. Ángel Lorenzo Álvarez
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