Zika virus

Baltimore Classification and Taxonomy

Group IV: (+) sense single-stranded RNA virus

| Order = Unassigned | Family = Flaviviridae | Genus = Flavivirus | species = Zika virus
{|NCBI: Taxonomy Genome: Genome|}

Description and Significance

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a flavivirus that is closely related to dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, and Japanese encephalitis viruses. (ref)

Viral Pathology

Transmission

Human to Human

After returning from a research mission to Senegal, Dr. Brian Foy of the University of Colorado appeared to have passed ZIKV to his wife after sexual intercourse in 2008. Both Dr. Foy and his Ph.D. student Kevin Kobylinski were bitten by numerous mosquitoes while abroad and became ill about 5 days after returning to the U.S. Both showed signs of Zika fever and Dr. Foy's wife saw what she believed to be blood in his semen. Approximately 10 days later, Foy's wife showed signs of Zika fever while their four children remained healthy. At first it was believed that Foy had contracted dengue fever, but after Kobylinski had an encounter with medical entomologist Andrew Haddow who had experience with ZIKV, tests were run that confirmed all three patients possessed antibody for ZIKV. Circumstantial evidence suggests that sexual contact was the mode of transmission due to the high unlikeliness that Foy's wife was bitten by the tropical Aedes mosquito in Colorado. Additionally, the virus requires a 2-week life cycle in mosquito hosts before infecting humans and Foy's wife showed symptoms merely 10 days upon his return. [1]

Zika Fever

Zika fever is the disease associated with ZIKV infection.

Treatment and Prevention

Given that ZIKV is transmitted by mosquitoes, it is advocated by the CDC to use of insect repellent and intervention in reducing the number of mosquito vectors. [2] Additionally, due to recent studies that show the possibility of sexual transmission, safe sex practices are also encouraged.

References

1 Enserink, M. (2011) Sex After A Field Trip Yields Scientific First. Science Magazine

2 Hayes, E. (2009) Zika Virus Outside Africa. CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases