Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus first isolated from monkeys in the Zika forest, Uganda, in 1947.
An epidemic in 2015 significantly affected Central America and the Caribbean, with reports of severe congenital microcephaly in infants born to infected mothers.
Notable outbreaks have occurred in the Pacific Islands, Brazil, and other regions of South America, highlighting its global health relevance.
Clinical Presentation in Adults
Symptoms typically resemble dengue fever, including:
Fever
Headache
Arthralgia (joint pain)
Myalgia (muscle pain)
Maculopapular rash
Most adult infections are mild or asymptomatic, complicating detection and prevention efforts.
Impact on Fetal Development
Zika virus infection during pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester, is strongly associated with severe congenital abnormalities, most notably microcephaly.
Microcephaly associated with Zika virus is characterized by significantly reduced head circumference and impaired brain development.
The virus infects human embryonic cortical neural progenitor cells, disrupting brain development and causing neural progenitor cell death or dysfunction.
