Zika virus (ZIKV)

Zika virus (ZIKV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a mosquito-transmitted Flavivirus that contains several vector-borne viruses that cause disease worldwide such as dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, and tick-borne encephalitis viruses. Zika virus has arisen as a pathogen of substantial public health importance that was initially discovered in 1947. ZIKV has become a major human health concern due to its association with severe neurological complications, including an increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults, neuropathy, myelitis, and congenital Zika syndrome. It is primarily transmitted through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito from the Aedes genus and by sexual transmission where initial infection most likely occurs in human skin cells directly affecting permissive human dermal fibroblasts, epidermal keratinocytes, and immature dendritic cells. Phylogenetic analyses show that ZIKV can be classified into African and Asian lineages based on 90% of their nucleotide sequence and 59 amino acids in the polyprotein, the latter of which is responsible for the recent epidemics. ZIKV is sometimes able to cause a prolonged infection and is also associated with other complications of pregnancy including preterm birth and miscarriage where babies are born with underdeveloped heads, have impaired growth which can cause fatal brain damage. Symptoms typically last for 2–7 days which include-

• Itching all over the body
• Muscle pain
• Lower back pain
• Pain behind the eyes
• Mild fever
• Rash
• Headache
• Joint pain
• Conjunctivitis (red eyes)

Moreover, ZIKV RNA has been detected in body fluids including blood, urine, semen, saliva, and breast milk, which can be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy, transfusion of blood and blood products, through sexual contact, and organ transplantation increases the risk of a human to human transmission via direct contact with body fluids from infected people. Therefore, it can be detected through diagnostic methods including reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), RT-PCR, and RNA- biosensors. Currently, there is no curative medicine for the ZIKA disease but there are some strategies through which it can be prevented such as controlling vector density, limiting contact with the virus, and vaccine preparation. Personal protection measures such as wearing light-colored clothes, using physical barriers such as window screens, using mosquito nets, and avoiding traveling to the affected areas. Controlling vector density includes intercepting the enzootic life cycle of the virus. Adequate garbage management and proper drainage can eliminate the vector reservoirs thus hindering viral proliferation. Transgenic technologies and genetic modification of the vectors where the mosquitoes offsprings will be unable to survive, are still need to be addressed as they are associated with several environmental and safety concerns. Globalization has given away to the ZIKA virus to grow anywhere through any channel therefore, there is an urgent need to implement global efforts and monitor disease-control strategies.

SNI Publications invites you to share your knowledge and recent advancement on the ZIKA virus by publishing your work with the Journal of Current Emergency Medicine Reports also a small piece of information that can be shared here itself in the comment section.