Zika virus infection in a traveller returning to Europe from Brazil, March 2015

Abstract

We report a case of laboratory-confirmed Zika virus infection imported into Europe from the Americas. The patient developed fever, rash, and oedema of hands and feet after returning to Italy from Brazil in late March 2015. The case highlights that, together with chikungunya virus and dengue virus, three major arboviruses are now co-circulating in Brazil. These arboviruses represent a burden for the healthcare systems in Brazil and other countries where competent mosquito vectors are present.

Zika virus: what do we know about the viral structure, mechanisms of transmission, and neurological outcomes?

“…The viral strain proved to be genetically similar (99%) to a French Polynesian isolate, leading to the assumption that it was brought to Brazil by infected tourists who came as spectators to the World Soccer Cup in June/July 2014 (2) (3) . By the end of March the following year, a laboratory-confirmed case of Zika virus infection was reported in a male Italian tourist who had been to Salvador, Bahia, confirming circulation of the virus in our country (4) .…”

Le virus Zika

“…La découverte du virus dans le sperme d'un patient polyné-sien de 44 ans, 15 jours après le début des symptômes, fait suspecter une transmission par voie sexuelle [43]. Deux cas importés américains des cultures de cellules infectées par le ZIKV [52] ou des techniques « maison » d'ELISA par immunocapture (utilisant des anticorps spécifiques fixant et révélant des antigènes viraux), là encore réalisées à partir de stocks de virus produits dans certains laboratoires référents. La principale limite des approches sérologiques est la survenue de nombreuses réactions croisées qui peuvent interférer avec les autres flavivirus en raison de leur importante communauté antigénique [53].…”

Zika Virus Infection: New Findings Related to Neurological Complications

“…Clinical manifestations of Zika infection are very similar to infections such as dengue and chikungunya, but usually milder and without deaths [6]. The most commonly reported symptoms in the Yap Island and French Polynesian outbreaks included rash (90-95%), fever (65-73%), arthralgia (65-70%), and non-purulent conjunctivitis (55-63%) [5].…”

“…The absence of specific commercial serological tests for ZIKV and cross-reactive DENV serology (IgG or IgM) during ZIKV infection available, as well as the similarity of symptoms with other endemic diseases makes ZIKV infection both a clinical and diagnostic challenge [6]. Since the complexity of diagnostic by cross-reactivity and time demands, recent studies with saliva and urine samples indicate a possibility of diagnostic assist routine in the acute phase of infection, with positive results when compared to serum and blood of the same patients [9,10].…”