Emerging sexually transmitted viral infections: 2. Review of Zika virus disease

A sudden increase in the number of newborn infants with microcephaly in Brazil in 2015 brought Zika virus (ZIKV), a less-known infection, to public attention. The rapid increase in the number of cases across the Americas and the devastating complications of infection with ZIKV highlighted the gravity of the situation. Within a relatively short period of time, our knowledge of this infection has significantly increased. This includes the realisation that ZIKV can be sexually transmitted. The aim of the present article is to provide a concise summary on this novel sexually transmitted infection linked to human birth defects and Guillain-Barre Syndrome. According to World Health Organization, individuals living outside areas of ZIKV mosquito transmission where one or both partners have been exposed to ZIKV should abstain from sex or have sex with condoms for at least six months after the last day of possible exposure.