Species of flavivirus
Zika virus (ZIKV; pronounced or [3][4]) is a member of the virus family Flaviviridae.[5] It is spread by daytime-active Aedes mosquitoes, such as A. aegypti and A. albopictus.[5] Its name comes from the Ziika Forest of Uganda, where the virus was first isolated in 1947.[6]Zika virus shares a genus with the dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses.[6] Since the 1950s, it has been known to occur within a narrow equatorial belt from Africa to Asia. From 2007 to 2016[update], the virus spread eastward, across the Pacific Ocean to the Americas, leading to the 2015–2016 Zika virus epidemic.[7]
The infection, known as Zika fever or Zika virus disease, often causes no or only mild symptoms, similar to a very mild form of dengue fever.[5] While there is no specific treatment, paracetamol (acetaminophen) and rest may help with the symptoms.[8] As of April 2019, no vaccines have been approved for clinical use, however a number of...