An re-emerging arboviral infectious agent: Zika virus Yeniden önem kazanan arboviral enfeksiyon etkeni: Zika virüs

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UYAR Y.

Turk Hijyen ve Deneysel Biyoloji Dergisi, cilt.73, sa.1, ss.89-98, 2016 (Scopus, TRDizin)

Özet

Zika virus (ZIKV), is an arbovirus (arthropod borne virus) belonging to the Flavivirus genus that was first isolated from a Rhesus monkey in 1947 in Uganda. The transmission is mostly vectorial by mosquitoes of the Culicidae family and of the Aedes genus (mostly Aedes aegypti). Non-human primates and possibly rodents play a role as reservoir. The symptoms (fever, maculopapular rush, arthralgia and conjunctivitis) appear after an incubation period after the mosquito bite and usually last three to 12 days. Asymptomatic cases are frequent. In recent years, virological studies have allowed identifying the virus in Africa, Asia, and Oceania, in the Pacific. Beginning at the end of 2013, a large outbreak affected the West Pacific islands. In 2015, Brazilian local health authorities also observed an increase in babies born with microcephaly at the same time of an outbreak of ZIKV. Preliminary diagnosis is based on the clinical features of patient, places and travel dates, and activities. Laboratory diagnosis of ZIKV is generally performed by testing serum or plasma to detect virus, viral nucleic acid, or virus-specific immunoglobulin M and neutralizing antibodies. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for ZIKV infection. The treatment is symptomatic. Prevention against the infection relies on individual protection against mosquito bites and eradication of mosquitoes in outbreak areas.