Zika virus Specialist Doctor in Mumbai Zika virus is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is related other viruses like dengue virus, yellow fever virus, and West Nile virus. The outbreaks of Zika virus infection have occurred in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Americas, and the Caribbean. Zika virus is named after the Ugandan forest where it was first isolated from a rhesus monkey in 1947. Zika virus may be transmitted to humans via bite of an infected mosquito, maternal – child transmission, sexual mode, blood product transfusion and organ transplantation. The primary mode of transmission is via bites of mosquitoes – Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. The same mosquitoes can also transmit dengue and chikungunya. The incubation period between mosquito bite and onset of symptoms is 2 to 14 days. The illness is usually mild and symptoms manifest in only 20 to 25 percent of individuals who become infected with Zika virus. The clinical manifestations include low – grade fever, pruritic rash, joint pain, muscle ache, headache and conjunctivitis. It has been associated with fetal losses among women infected during pregnancy and can even lead to babies, being born with a significantly smaller head. The diagnosis is definitively established via real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT – PCR ). The primary diagnostic specimens are blood and urine. There is no specific treatment for Zika virus infection. Management consists of rest and symptomatic treatment, including drinking fluids to prevent dehydration and administration of medications to relieve fever and pain. Individuals should take measures to avoid mosquito bites, including personal protection as well as environmental control measures.