A new global threat for the public safety: Zika virus (original) (raw)

A Global Concern on Zika Virus: Transmission, Diagnosis, Prevention, and Treatment

Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics

Zika virus is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus belongs to family Flaviviridae which becomes the focus of an ongoing pandemic and public health emergency all around the world. Zika virus has two lineages African and Asian. Mosquito-borne flavivirus is thought to replicate initially in dendritic cell and then spread to lymph nodes and then to the bloodstream. Zika virus was initially recognized in Uganda in 1947 in Monkeys through a method that observed yellow fever. It was later distinguished in people in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. The explosions of the zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, The Americas, Asia, and The Pacific. Gillian-Berre syndrome and congenital malformation (microcephaly) suspected to be linked with Zika virus. The virus can only be confirmed through laboratory test on blood or other body fluids, such as urine, saliva or semen. No specific antiviral treatment for Zika virus disease exists. Treatment is aimed at relieving sympto...

Zika virus: a new pandemic threat

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries, 2016

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus of the Flaviviridae family and is related to dengue, Chikungunya, West Nile, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis viruses. ZIKV was first discovered in Uganda in 1947. Different species of mosquito from the Aedes genus, mainly A. aegypti and A. albopictus are the vectors responsible for ZIKV infection in humans. It is also reported that ZIKV is transmitted congenitally, sexually, and through blood donation. Until recently, ZIKV outbreaks were sporadic and self-limiting. The first large epidemic was reported from Yap Island in 2007 followed by an outbreak of Zika fever in French Polynesia in 2013. Brazil is the epicenter of the current ZIKV epidemic which is rapidly spreading across the Americas. ZIKV infection remained relatively less studied in view of its low case numbers, and low clinical impact relative to other arboviruses. However, all this is set to change with its rapid spread in the Western hemisphere and suspected complications...

Zika Virus; An emerging threat to human health with international concerns

2016

Among the emerging infectious diseases, arboviruses have rung more the public health alarms. Human cases of Zika virus were reported since 1952. As of June 2016, 60 countries have reported Zika virus. Zika virus-carrying mosquitoes are reported around the world and the transmission of the virus by travelers from endemic areas and the possibility of sexual transmission of the virus have added the concerns of the spread of the diseases. The main concern for Zika virus disease is probable microcephaly disease in infants and WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern for this disease. In Iran, as a result of not reporting of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, Zika virus transmission is not a big concern; however because of being in neighbor of Pakistan, with high reports of potential Zika virus vectors, possible transmission of the virus by travelers from endemic areas and the possibility of sexual transmission of the virus, continuing monitoring and vector control...

Zika Virus: A threat to global Public health- WHO Faramework Review

NeuroPharmac Journal

Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys through a monitoring network of sylvatic yellow fever. Background Zika virus is an emerging viral disease that is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, primarily Aedes aegypti, the same vector that transmits chikungunya, dengue and yellow fever. Zika has a similar epidemiology, clinical presentation and transmission cycle in urban environments as chikungunya and dengue, although it generally causes milder illness. Symptoms of Zika virus disease include fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise and headache, which normally last for 2 to 7 days. National health authorities have reported an observed increase of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and microcephaly. Today the Brazilian national authorities estimate 500,000 to 1,500,000 cases of Zika virus disease. In October 2015, both Colombia and Cape Verde, off the coast of Africa, reported their first outbreaks of the virus. As of 22 January 2016 Colombia had reported 16,419 cases, El Salvador 3,836 cases and Panama 99 cases of Zika virus disease. As of 12 February, a total of 39 countries in multiple regions have reported autochthonous (local) circulation of Zika virus, and there is evidence of local transmission in six additional countries. As per the health authorities India has not reported any case of Zika Virus. Health Authorities in India is taking adequate precaution to keep Zika Virus outside the India.

Zika Virus: A Surprising Savage Infection Worldwide

Biomedical and Pharmacology Journal

The outbreak of zika virus belonging to the flavivirus genus was first reported in 1947 in the monkey species in Uganda. Then it was first isolated from the Aedes mosquito’s species. Recent outbreaks have been reported in India also. The main host of the virus is humans like all other flaviviruses. Although the fatality rate is not so high but the effects are seen majorly on the fetus when pregnant women gets infected. No perfect treatment or vaccine has been developed yet to treat the disease. In India also few cases are now being reported and it shows that the outbreak of the virus is just not limited to Brazil and America but now also to Asian countries as well and gradually worldwide its infection will spread through. This article deals with the development of the zika virus from 1947 to 2018 and the preventive measures in order to prevent future outbreaks have been considered.

Zika virus: A Public Health Emergency?

Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences

Zika virus (ZV) is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys and later identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda. Outbreaks of ZV disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific and it has reached pandemic levels in many countries now. It is a single stranded positive-sense RNA virus under the genus Flavivirus. The virus is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes and no reservoir is known till date. Zika virus infection, known as Zika fever, often causes no or only mild symptoms in human that can include mild fever, conjunctivitis, skin rashes, muscle and joint pain, malaise or headache similar to a mild form of dengue fever. Zika fever in pregnant women is implicated to abnormal brain development in their fetuses that may result in miscarriage and microcephaly. Diagnosis of ZV infection can only be confirmed by laboratory testing for the presence of ZV RNA in the blood or other body fluids, such as urine or saliva. There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available. The best form of prevention is protection against mosquito bites. A preventive vaccine is likely to come up in near future as the virus is considered to be a relatively innocuous one. Recognition of the spread of ZV and the impact of ZV on human health will require collaboration between clinicians, public health officials and high-quality reference laboratories.

Zika virus: An informative note

Recently Zika outbreak in Brazil highlighted itself to World Health Organization (WHO) and has been declared international emergency to public health. In this view, it has become mandatory to have one spot pool of knowledge i.e. its prevalence along with symptoms, transmission, diagnosis, prevention and other important data. Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging globally mosquito (Aedes) -borne pathogen belonging to family Flaviviridae and genus Flavivirus. It was first isolated in 1947 in Uganda. Zika cases were reported in Africa, Asia and predominantly in Pacific. Its symptoms demonstrate dengue like syndrome. Transmission of ZIKV occurs through infected mosquito bite, sexual intercourse, infected blood transfusion and mother to fetus. Zika symptoms include rash, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, fever, and edema. ZIKV infection during pregnancy cause congenital brain damage and microcephaly in new born. Mosquitoes and monkeys are main vectors of ZIKV. Zika diagnosis is mainly done by molecular techniques (RT-PCR)) and serological tests (ELISA or immuno-fluorescence). No treatment is available till now for ZIKV. Prevention strategies include insect repellant and eradication of mosquito vector. We, the authors feel this document as a preliminary informative source in overall related directions.

Zika virus: An emerging challenge to public health worldwide

Canadian Journal of Microbiology

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne virus that was first isolated from Zika forest, Uganda, in 1947. Since its inception, major and minor outbreaks have been documented from several parts of world. Aedes spp. mosquitoes are the primary vectors of ZIKV, but the virus can also be transmitted through sexual practices, materno-fetal transmission, and blood transfusion. The clinical presentations of symptomatic ZIKV infections are similar to dengue and chikungunya, including fever, headache, arthralgia, retro-orbital pain, conjunctivitis, and rash. ZIKV often causes mild illness in the majority of cases, but in some instances, it is linked with congenital microcephaly and autoimmune disorders like Guillain–Barré syndrome. The recent Indian ZIKV outbreak suggests that the virus is circulating in the South East Asian region and may cause new outbreaks in future. At present, no specific vaccines or antivirals are available to treat ZIKV, so management and control of ZIKV infections rely m...

Zika Virus: An Emerging Global Health Threat

Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 2017

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging healthcare threat. The presence of the mosquito Aedes species across South and Central America in combination with complementary climates have incited an epidemic of locally transmitted cases of ZIKV infection in Brazil. As one of the most significant current public health concerns in the Americas, ZIKV epidemic has been a cause of alarm due to its known and unknown complications. At this point, there has been a clear association between ZIKV infection and severe clinical manifestations in both adults and neonates, including but not limited to neurological deficits such as Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and microcephaly, respectively. The gravity of the fetal anomalies linked to ZIKV vertical transmission from the mother has prompted a discussion on whether to include ZIKV as a formal member of the TORCH [Toxoplasma gondii, other, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and herpes] family of pathogens known to breach placental barriers and cause congeni...