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What is the history of the Zika virus?
Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 and is named after the Zika Forest in Uganda. In 1952, the first human cases of Zika were detected and since then, outbreaks of Zika have been reported in tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Zika outbreaks have probably occurred in many locations.
Why is Zika virus interesting?
The Zika virus has been linked to a surge in the number of babies born with microcephaly in Brazil, a birth defect which causes infants to be born with abnormally small heads and corresponding brain damage.
How did Zika get to humans?
Zika virus is transmitted to people primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus). These are the same mosquitoes that spread dengue and chikungunya viruses.
How was Zika virus first discovered?
In brief, Zika virus (ZIKV) was first isolated in 1947 from a febrile sentinel rhesus monkey (no. 766) held in a cage on a platform in the canopy of the Zika Forest in Uganda during studies to identify the vector of sylvatic YF [2].
Is the Zika virus still around?
Zika continues to be a problem in many parts of the world. There is no vaccine to prevent infection. Zika is spread mostly by the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae.
How did Zika go away?
Instead, Zika cases have plummeted in Latin America and the Caribbean, where the virus raged over the past 2 years, and much of the population is now immune to it. That, in turn, means fewer infected people entering the United States, reducing the chances of mosquitoes spreading the virus to susceptible people.
Where does Zika still exist?
Specifically, though, Zika is transmitted by the Aedes species of mosquito. These are the same mosquitoes that spread dengue and chikungunya viruses. These thrive in the Caribbean, Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central Africa.
How did the Zika virus end?
Who invented Zika virus?
The first true case of human infection was identified by Simpson in 1964, who was himself infected while isolating the virus from mosquitoes. From then until 2007, there were only 13 further confirmed human cases of Zika infection from Africa and Southeast Asia.
Has Zika vaccine been approved?
There are no FDA-approved vaccines for Zika virus. Several investigational vaccines are under development, including early human clinical trials.
Is Zika virus RNA or DNA?
Zika virus is a single-stranded RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family, genus Flavivirus. Zika virus is transmitted to humans primarily through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito (Ae. aegypti and Ae.