Introduction: Zika virus is a flavivirus transmitted through mosquitoes and therefore it is classified in the group of arboviruses.
Most arboviruses cause zoonoses that are usually dependent on non-human animal species for maintenance in the wild. These viruses are transmitted to humans through non-human animals and can be dangerous for humans. This transmission usually takes place through mosquitoes or ticks, which act as vectors for these viruses.
Although most Zika virus infections are characterized by subclinical or mild influenza-like illness, severe manifestations including Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults and microcephaly in infants born to infected mothers have been described.
The World Health Organization has announced that Zika was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in a species of monkeys called rhesus through a yellow fever surveillance network, and for the first time in humans in 1952 The country of Tanzania was seen. Then it was reported in Southeast Asia and then in Brazil.
This virus does not have a specific drug treatment or vaccine. Since Zika virus infection is a self-limiting disease, the treatment approach is more supportive and based on limiting the symptoms of this disease, and it is recommended to rest the patient.
The most important difference between Zika virus infection and other infections transmitted through arthropods is the ability of this virus to affect the fetus through the placenta in pregnant mothers.
Methods: In this review study, a systematic search was conducted across reputable scientific databases to examine articles and resources related to the Zika virus. To ensure comprehensive coverage, the following strategies were employed for search methods, inclusion and exclusion criteria for articles, and quality assessment of the selected studies:
1. Databases and Scientific Resources
To gather scientific articles, searches were conducted in databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. These databases were chosen for their broad collections of articles in the fields of medical sciences, virology, and epidemiology. Additionally, data from organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were used to access epidemiological data.
2. Keywords and Search Strategy
To ensure complete coverage of the topic, the following keywords were used: *Zika Virus*, *Zika Transmission*, *Zika Outbreak*, *Zika Prevention*, *Zika Vaccine*, and *Zika Epidemiology*. These keywords were searched in the titles and abstracts of the articles, and Boolean operators such as "AND" and "OR" were used to combine the keywords.
3. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
- Inclusion Criteria: Articles published between 2015 and 2024 that directly addressed the Zika virus and related topics (such as outbreaks, transmission, clinical symptoms, prevention, and treatment) were included. Only articles written in English and published in peer-reviewed, reputable scientific journals were considered.
- Exclusion Criteria: Articles that addressed unrelated topics, were of low quality, or lacked reliable data were excluded from the review. Additionally, duplicate review articles or brief conference reports were also omitted.
4. Article Selection Process
Initially, the search results from the databases were reviewed, and articles were filtered based on their titles and abstracts. Articles that appeared relevant to the topic were selected for further detailed review. After this phase, the full texts of the selected articles were downloaded and thoroughly reviewed to confirm their relevance to the research objectives. In total, [number of articles] articles were chosen for final analysis.
5. Data Analysis and Synthesis
Once the final selection of articles was made, the available data were extracted and categorized. The information collected included routes of Zika virus transmission, clinical effects and disease complications, control and prevention methods, and advancements in vaccines. This information was qualitatively analyzed, and the results of various studies were compared to identify similarities and differences.
6. Quality Assessment of Articles
To ensure the scientific quality of the reviewed articles, the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) tool was used. Articles were evaluated based on various parameters, including research methodology, data quality, and statistical methods used. Only high-quality articles with proper study designs were included in this review.
7. Study Limitations
One limitation of this study was the lack of access to certain articles due to access fees. Additionally, articles published in languages other than English that might contain important information were not included in this review. Another limitation was that some studies might not have been updated and may not reflect the most recent data.
Results: Zika virus is a virus of the Flaviviridae family and the Flavivirus genus, which is mainly transmitted to humans through the bites of infected Aedes mosquitoes (especially Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus). The virus was first identified in Zika forests in Uganda in 1947, but in recent decades it has spread more widely in different parts of the world, becoming a public health crisis.
Symptoms of this virus include mild fever, skin rashes, joint pain, red eyes, headache and muscle pain. And these symptoms usually appear 2 to 7 days after the mosquito bite. The ways of transmission of this virus can be mentioned through the bite of infected mosquitoes, transmission from mother to fetus, sexual transmission and transmission through blood.
So far, no effective vaccine has been found for this virus and the only way is to prevent it.
Conclusion: Despite significant advances in the understanding of this virus, significant challenges remain in the field of effective prevention and treatment. Although efforts to develop a vaccine continue and progress has been made in controlling mosquito populations, insufficient access to global health resources continues to hamper the ability to contain the spread of the virus. Additionally, the long-term effects of the Zika virus, especially on infants and people with weakened immune systems, require more research.