[Zika Virus Infection]

Tetsushi Yoshikawa1

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Fujita Health University School of Medicine.

Zika virus infection is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes and is generally a self-limiting, mild disease. However, infection during pregnancy can cause severe fetal abnormalities, such as microcephaly, and in adults, the condition may occasionally lead to neurological complications, including Guillain-Barré syndrome. A large outbreak occurred in South America between 2015 and 2016 and has become a major global public health concern. Diagnosis involved reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and serological testing. As currently no specific antiviral treatments or vaccines are available, public health interventions, such as mosquito bite prevention and advising pregnant women to avoid traveling to affected regions, are essential.

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