Zika virus in India: past, present and future

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus that presents with acute febrile illness associated with rash, arthralgia and conjunctivitis. After years of sporadic reports in Africa, the three major outbreaks of this disease occurred in Yap Islands (2007), French Polynesia (2013-14) and South Americas (2015-16). Although, serological surveys suggested the presence of ZIKV in India in 1950s, cross-reactivity could not be ruled out. The first four proven cases of ZIKV from India were reported in 2017. This was followed by major outbreaks in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh in 2018. Fortunately, the outbreaks in India were not associated with neurological complications. These outbreaks in India highlighted the spread of this disease beyond geographical barriers owing to the growing globalization, increased travel and ubiquitous presence of its vector, the Aedes mosquito. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology, clinical features and management of ZIKV in India.

Automated summary

Zika virus is a flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes, causing acute febrile illness. Besides Africa, there have been major outbreaks in the Asia-Pacific region in recent years. Although evidence of Zika virus in India existed as early as the 1950s, the first confirmed cases were not reported until 2017. The outbreaks in India that year did not result in neurological complications. These outbreaks highlighted the spread of Zika virus beyond geographical barriers, driven by globalization and the ubiquitous presence of its mosquito vector.