Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 24, 2026
10:35
Vector Competence Analyses on Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes using Zika Virus
Published on: May 31, 2020
3.6K
Zika Virus: An Emerging Worldwide Threat
Irfan A Rather1, Jameel B Lone2, Vivek K Bajpai1
1Department of Biotechnology, Daegu UniversityGyeongsan, South Korea.
Frontiers in Microbiology
|August 12, 2017
Summary
Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks are a global concern due to its rapid spread and symptoms mimicking other flaviviruses. ZIKV infection is linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome and severe birth defects like microcephaly, necessitating urgent research and control strategies.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks since 2007 have raised international concern due to rapid transmission and diagnostic challenges.
- ZIKV shares symptoms with dengue virus (DENV) and other flaviviruses, complicated by antibody cross-reactivity.
- Current diagnostic methods include RT-PCR and IgM-captured enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MAC-ELISA).
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the global threat posed by Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks.
- To discuss the diagnostic difficulties associated with ZIKV infections.
- To review the neurological and congenital complications linked to ZIKV.
Main Methods:
- Review of ZIKV outbreak case studies and clinical data integration.
- Analysis of scientific reports on ZIKV transmission routes.
- Examination of experimental studies on ZIKV and microcephaly in mice.
Main Results:
- ZIKV outbreaks are associated with an increased incidence of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS).
- ZIKV has been detected in maternal samples (amniotic fluid, blood cord, miscarriage tissue), indicating vertical transmission.
- ZIKV infection during pregnancy is linked to microcephaly and other fetal brain anomalies; sexual transmission is also reported.
Conclusions:
- Zika virus (ZIKV) poses a significant threat, causing severe neurological and developmental complications.
- Effective control strategies and further research into ZIKV cures are imperative to mitigate its impact.
- The potential collapse of health sectors in poorer nations underscores the urgency of addressing ZIKV transmission.
Related Concept Videos
01:50Threats to Biodiversity
27.4K
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
27.4K
00:57Viral Recombination
25.4K
Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
25.4K