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(There is a more current update posted here)
In May 2015, Brazil announced an outbreak of the mosquito-borne flavivirus Zika virus (ZIKV). Since then the virus has spread widely with transmission detected in 40 countries/territories in the past 9 months. The UK defines areas with active ZIKV transmission according to the ECDC country list. Brazil estimates that between 500 000 to 1.5 million cases have occurred in the last 9 months with Colombia estimating 31 000 cases in 5 months. To date, 10 confirmed cases of ZIKV infection have been reported in UK travellers, 9 of which have been linked to this outbreak.
ZIKV, after an incubation of 2-12 days, produces a mild clinical illness, similar to dengue fever that resolves in 4–7 days. Symptoms may include: fever, headache, conjunctivitis, rash, myalgia and arthralgia. There is no specific treatment, or vaccine and management is supportive only.
Concern has been raised by a large increase in the number of reported cases of microcephaly and central nervous system (CNS) malformations in neonates and fetuses in Brazil and French Polynesia that coincide with ZIKV outbreaks in these countries. Investigations by the World Health Organisation and local health authorities are ongoing to establish if ZIKV in pregnancy is the underlying cause of these congenital anomalies. Although not proven, it seems increasingly likely that microcephaly in Brazil may be associated with the ongoing ZIKV outbreak.
Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) has been increasingly reported from some countries currently experiencing an outbreak of ZIKV; GBS has been suggested as a rare after effect of ZIKV infection and investigations are ongoing to establish a causal link.
ZIKV has been detected in semen two months after clinical symptoms of ZIKV; a small, but growing number of probable sexually transmitted cases of ZIKV infection (male to female) have been reported.
All Travellers
Women who are Pregnant