Zika is a febrile illness that is transmitted by mosquito bites. It is part of a large group of viruses known as Arbovirus, which includes dengue and chikungunya.
The Zika virus was first identified in 1947 in macaques in Uganda, and subsequently in human beings. Over the past ten years, there have been various outbreaks of Zika across the world.
So far, cases of Zika diagnosed in Europe have been mainly imported by people who have been abroad, but recently the first native cases have been described (in people who have not travelled). In Spain, there is concern about the possibility of native transmission in the future, due to the presence of the tiger mosquito.
Zika can affect anyone, but it is particularly relevant in the case of women who are pregnant or of child-bearing age, as it is associated with the risk of foetal deformities or miscarriage.
Zika Distribution
Currently, transmission of the disease is established in many tropical and subtropical areas of Central America, South America, the Caribbean, South East Asia, Africa and the Pacific Islands.
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