title: Emerging Zika Virus Infection: A Rapidly Evolving Situation.
abstract: Zika virus is a mosquito-borne flavivirus, firstly identified in Uganda and responsible for sporadic human cases in Africa and Asia until recently, when large outbreak occurred in Pacific Ocean and the Americas. Since the main vectors during its spread outside of Africa have been Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti mosquitoes, which are widely distributed all over the world, there is urgent need for a coordinated response for prevention and spread of ZIKV epidemics.Despite clinical manifestation of Zika virus infection are usually mild and self limiting, there are reports suggesting, during the recent epidemic, an association of ZIKV infection with severe consequences, including fetal/newborn microcephaly, due to vertical in utero transmission, autoimmune-neurological presentations including cranial nerve dysfunction, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome in adults. The primary mode of transmission of Zika virus between humans is through the bite of an infected female mosquito of the Aedes genus, but also sexual and blood transfusion transmission may occur. Moreover, a case of non-sexual spread from one person to another has been described, indicating that we still have more to learn about Zika transmission.Biological basis for pathogenetic effects are under investigation. Laboratory diagnosis is challenging since, so far, there are no "gold standard" diagnostic tools, and the low and short viremia in the acute phase, and together with the high cross-reactivity among the members of flavivirus genus are the most challenging aspects to be overcome.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani", IRCCS, Via Portuense 292, 00149, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Licia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bordi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Avsic-Zupanc
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani", IRCCS, Via Portuense 292, 00149, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lalle
authors.affiliation: Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease Unit, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani", IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vairo
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases "Lazzaro Spallanzani", IRCCS, Via Portuense 292, 00149, Rome, Italy. maria.capobianchi@inmi.it.
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Capobianchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute, Ministry of Health, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro Fernando
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: da Costa Vasconcelos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000821:virology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D014943:Global Health / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D007303:Insect Vectors; D008831:Microcephaly / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000235:genetics*; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology
keywords: Clinical Manifestation; Diagnosis; Pathogenetic Effects; Phylogenesis; Spread; Transmission; Zika Virus