Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • Authors
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
  • CMA Members
    • Overview for members
    • Earn CPD Credits
    • Print copies of CMAJ
  • Subscribers
    • General information
    • View prices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2022
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN

User menu

Search

  • Advanced search
CMAJ
  • CMAJ JOURNALS
    • CMAJ Open
    • CJS
    • JAMC
    • JPN
CMAJ

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current issue
    • Past issues
    • Early releases
    • Collections
    • Sections
    • Blog
    • Infographics & illustrations
    • Podcasts
    • COVID-19 Articles
  • Authors
    • Overview for authors
    • Submission guidelines
    • Submit a manuscript
    • Forms
    • Editorial process
    • Editorial policies
    • Peer review process
    • Publication fees
    • Reprint requests
    • Open access
  • CMA Members
    • Overview for members
    • Earn CPD Credits
    • Print copies of CMAJ
  • Subscribers
    • General information
    • View prices
  • Alerts
    • Email alerts
    • RSS
  • JAMC
    • À propos
    • Numéro en cours
    • Archives
    • Sections
    • Abonnement
    • Alertes
    • Trousse média 2022
  • Visit CMAJ on Facebook
  • Follow CMAJ on Twitter
  • Follow CMAJ on Pinterest
  • Follow CMAJ on Youtube
  • Follow CMAJ on Instagram
Practice

Zika virus infection

Derek R. MacFadden and Isaac I. Bogoch
CMAJ March 15, 2016 188 (5) 367; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.151486
Derek R. MacFadden
Division of Infectious Diseases (MacFadden, Bogoch), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (MacFadden), Harvard University, Boston, Mass.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: derek.macfadden@mail.utoronto.ca
Isaac I. Bogoch
Division of Infectious Diseases (MacFadden, Bogoch), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont.; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (MacFadden), Harvard University, Boston, Mass.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • Article
  • Figures & Tables
  • Related Content
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Zika virus is transmitted through mosquito bites and typically causes asymptomatic infection or mild symptoms in most people

The symptoms of Zika virus infection may last up to one week and include a maculopapular rash, fever, joint and muscle pain, and conjunctivitis.1,2 Previous outbreaks in the Pacific Islands and the current outbreak have indicated a potential association with neurologic illnesses such as Guillain–Barré syndrome.1,2

Zika virus has spread rapidly via bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes

Since its identification in Brazil in May 2015, Zika virus has spread through many countries in South and Central America, the Caribbean and Mexico.3 Aedes mosquitoes, found globally in tropical and subtropical regions, bite during the day and are particularly active during dawn and dusk (Figure 1). These mosquitoes also transmit dengue and chikungunya viruses. These infections, along with malaria, should be considered in febrile travellers returning from affected regions.

Figure 1:
  • Download figure
  • Open in new tab
  • Download powerpoint
Figure 1:

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes transmit Zika virus.

People travelling to affected areas should protect themselves from mosquito bites

People planning to travel to Central and South America, the Caribbean and Mexico can stay up to date on the changing geographic distribution of the Zika virus through online resources.4 Infection can be prevented by wearing protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants and by using insect repellants containing DEET (diethyltoluamide) or icaridin, also known as picaridin.4,5

Treatment of Zika virus infection is supportive

The diagnosis of Zika virus infection is based on results of serum polymerase chain reaction or serologic testing.4,5 Acetaminophen can be used to relieve the fever and pain associated with infection.4,5

A potential link between Zika virus infection in pregnant women and congenital microcephaly in newborns is under investigation

Although the potential association between Zika virus infection and microcephaly is being investigated, the Public Health Agency of Canada has cautioned pregnant women and women considering becoming pregnant to assess their risk and consider postponing travel to affected areas and to use individual protection measures to prevent mosquito bites should they choose to travel.5

CMAJ invites submissions to “Five things to know about …” Submit manuscripts online at http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cmaj

Footnotes

  • CMAJ Podcasts: author interview at https://soundcloud.com/cmajpodcasts/151486-five

  • Competing interests: None declared.

  • This article has been peer reviewed.

References

  1. ↵
    1. Cardoso CW,
    2. Paploski IAD,
    3. Kikuti M,
    4. et al
    . Outbreak of acute exanthematous illness associated with Zika, chikungunya, and dengue viruses, Salvador, Brazil. Emerg Infect Dis 2015;21:2274–6.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  2. ↵
    1. Musso D,
    2. Nilles EJ,
    3. Cao-Lormeau VM
    . Rapid spread of emerging Zika virus in the Pacific area. Clin Microbiol Infect 2014;20:O595–6.
    OpenUrlCrossRefPubMed
  3. ↵
    1. Bogoch II,
    2. Brady OJ,
    3. Kraemer MU,
    4. et al
    . Anticipating the international spread of Zika virus from Brazil. Lancet 2016 Jan. 14 [Epub ahead of print].
  4. ↵
    Zika virus updates. Atlanta: US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2016. Available: www.cdc.gov/zika (accessed 2016 Jan. 15).
  5. ↵
    Zika virus travel advisory. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; 2016. Available: www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/phn-asp/2016/zika-eng.php (accessed 2016 Jan. 15).
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Canadian Medical Association Journal: 188 (5)
CMAJ
Vol. 188, Issue 5
15 Mar 2016
  • Table of Contents
  • Index by author

Podcast

Subscribe to podcast
Download MP3

Article tools

Respond to this article
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
To sign up for email alerts or to access your current email alerts, enter your email address below:
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on CMAJ.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Zika virus infection
(Your Name) has sent you a message from CMAJ
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the CMAJ web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Zika virus infection
Derek R. MacFadden, Isaac I. Bogoch
CMAJ Mar 2016, 188 (5) 367; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.151486

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
‍ Request Permissions
Share
Zika virus infection
Derek R. MacFadden, Isaac I. Bogoch
CMAJ Mar 2016, 188 (5) 367; DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.151486
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Zika virus is transmitted through mosquito bites and typically causes asymptomatic infection or mild symptoms in most people
    • Zika virus has spread rapidly via bites from infected Aedes mosquitoes
    • People travelling to affected areas should protect themselves from mosquito bites
    • Treatment of Zika virus infection is supportive
    • A potential link between Zika virus infection in pregnant women and congenital microcephaly in newborns is under investigation
    • Footnotes
    • References
  • Figures & Tables
  • Related Content
  • Responses
  • Metrics
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Highlights
  • PubMed
  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Endometrial osseous metaplasia with secondary infertility
  • Bell palsy
  • The monkeypox virus
Show more Practice

Similar Articles

Collections

  • Article Types
    • Five Things to Know About
  • Topics
    • Infectious diseases
    • Public health
    • Reproductive health, infertility & pregnancy
    • Travel medicine

 

View Latest Classified Ads

Content

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Collections
  • Sections
  • Blog
  • Podcasts
  • Alerts
  • RSS
  • Early releases

Information for

  • Advertisers
  • Authors
  • Reviewers
  • CMA Members
  • Media
  • Reprint requests
  • Subscribers

About

  • General Information
  • Journal staff
  • Editorial Board
  • Advisory Panels
  • Governance Council
  • Journal Oversight
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • Copyright and Permissions
  • Accessibiity
  • CMA Civility Standards
CMAJ Group

Copyright 2022, CMA Impact Inc. or its licensors. All rights reserved. ISSN 1488-2329 (e) 0820-3946 (p)

All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association or its subsidiaries.

To receive any of these resources in an accessible format, please contact us at CMAJ Group, 500-1410 Blair Towers Place, Ottawa ON, K1J 9B9; p: 1-888-855-2555; e: cmajgroup@cmaj.ca

Powered by HighWire