Knowra Zika fever Zika fever Zika fever is an illness caused by Zika virus, usually transmitted by infected mosquitoes. It often causes mild fever, rash, joint pain, or no symptoms, but infection during pregnancy can harm fetal development.
Zika virus : A mosquito-borne virus in the Flaviviridae family that can also spread through sexual contact and from a pregnant person to a fetus. This virus causes Zika fever and accounts for its different routes of transmission.
Zika virus testing : Laboratory testing that detects Zika virus RNA or antibodies in blood, urine, or other specimens. Testing helps distinguish Zika from illnesses with overlapping symptoms, especially during pregnancy.
Zika Forest : A forest near Entebbe, Uganda, where Zika virus was first identified in a sentinel rhesus monkey in 1947. The virus takes its name from this location of its first recorded identification.
Dengue fever : A mosquito-borne viral illness that can cause fever, severe pain, bleeding, or shock. Dengue shares Aedes vectors and overlapping symptoms, but can become acutely severe.
Aedes aegypti : A tropical mosquito species that transmits several human viruses, including Zika, dengue, and yellow fever. This mosquito is a major vector of Zika virus in urban outbreaks.
Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction : A laboratory method that converts RNA into DNA and amplifies selected genetic sequences for detection. This method can detect Zika viral RNA early in infection.
Uganda Virus Research Institute : A research institute in Entebbe, Uganda, established to investigate infectious diseases and public health. Researchers associated with the institute isolated Zika virus during early studies.
Chikungunya : A mosquito-borne viral disease marked by fever and often severe, persistent joint pain. Chikungunya resembles Zika clinically, but joint pain is often more intense and prolonged.
Sexual transmission of Zika virus : Spread of Zika virus through sexual contact, including when the infected person has no symptoms. This route allows transmission beyond areas where infected mosquitoes circulate.
Zika vaccine : A vaccine designed to prevent infection by Zika virus; no vaccine is currently licensed for routine use. Vaccination remains a prevention goal because mosquito control and exposure precautions are incomplete.
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