Zika virus infection

Zika virus infection is a viral zoonosezoonosis which causes zika feveris associated with congenital birth defects, most famously microcephaly.

Epidemiology

Zika was once isolated to Africa and Asia, however, it spread to the Americas in the last decade ¹. There were thousands of cases confirmed in the Americas in 2018 ².

Clinical presentation

The clinical presentation ofIn up to 80% adult cases Zika in most adultsdisease is often mild and can includeasymptomatic.When symptoms almost identicalare present in adults, they are usually mild, with a similar presentation to dengue, including fever, malaise, joint pain and rash.   When transmittedAcute conjunctivitis and even rarely Guillain-Barré syndrome have been described.

Following vertical transmission to fetusesthe fetus, the disease ismay be associated with congenital birth defects including microcephaly (and micrencephaly (small brain)).

Pathology

Although Zika is an arbovirusa single RNA stranded Flavivirus usually transmitted by mosquitoesa mosquito vector, the for example Aedes aegypti.  Although both vertical and sexual virus can be transmitted sexuallytransmission are seen ^{3  3}or perinatally.

Radiographic features

Radiographic features of congenital Zika haveviral infection has been reported on ultrasound, CT and MRI, and most result from a negative effect on brain development.

Congenital Zika has been shown to cause various brain abnormalities affecting both grey matter and white matter and ventricleventricular size ^4,5. Intracranial calcifications resulting from congenital Zika virus infections are typically more florid than caused by the TORCH infections and also characteristically at the grey-white matter interface, which is unusual for other congenital viral diseases.