Emerging Zika virus disease: a public health emergency of global concern

Abstract

Infectious diseases remain a leading source of human morbidity and mortality. Recently, emerging infectious diseases are dominated by zoonoses, and eventually rising considerably. Their emergence is dependent on various factors especially, socioeconomic, environmental and ecological factors etc. Recently, the swift spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) through the Americas, simultaneously with the association of infection with microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome, has strained this previously overlooked virus into the global attention. ZIKV is an emerging mosquito-borne Flavivirus, identified in rhesus monkey in 1947 in Uganda, and eventually in human in 1952. Considering the severity and recent spread over Americas, it has been declared as a public health emergency of international concern, and expected number of cases may be around three to four million. Therefore, it's important for all to assess the risk and be prepared in all possible ways before it makes a huge loss and spread globally. This news tries to discuss the possible reasons for its spread, risk assessment, and options to obliterate ZIKV.

Keywords: Aedes; Infectious diseases; Receptors; Risk assessment and prevention; Zika virus.

Fig. 1

Possible mode of ZIKV transmission: ZIKV spreads mainly through Aedes species of mosquitoes. Mosquito bites the infected patient and draws blood and contract the virus. When the same mosquito bites a healthy individual, the ZIKV enters and causes disease. The reservoir for ZIKV is still unknown

Fig. 2

Countries and territories with active transmission of Zika virus—2016 as per the WHO [41]