Zika virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and is primarily transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, although sexual and mother-to-fetus transmission can also occur through blood transfusion or organ transplantation. While most infections are asymptomatic or mild, severe complications include Guillain–Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves. The 2015–2016 epidemic in the Americas highlighted its global health impact.
The World Health Organization reported evidence of current or previous mosquito-borne transmission in 97 countries and territories by the end of 2025. As of September 2026, the United States had reported five travel-associated cases. WHOCDC
A research team at the Blumberg Institute recently identified a novel series of potent Zika virus inhibitors that show varying degrees of cross-activity against other members of the flavivirus family, including West Nile and dengue viruses. Ongoing work is focused on enhancing the compounds’ broad-spectrum activity, particularly against dengue, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide each year.
Zika virus was first identified in Uganda in 1947 and is primarily transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes, although sexual and mother-to-fetus transmission can also occur through blood transfusion or organ transplantation. While most infections are asymptomatic or mild, severe complications include Guillain–Barré syndrome, a neurological disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves. The 2015–2016 epidemic in the Americas highlighted its global health impact.
The World Health Organization reported evidence of current or previous mosquito-borne transmission in 97 countries and territories by the end of 2025. As of September 2026, the United States had reported five travel-associated cases. WHO CDC
A research team at the Blumberg Institute recently identified a novel series of potent Zika virus inhibitors that show varying degrees of cross-activity against other members of the flavivirus family, including West Nile and dengue viruses. Ongoing work is focused on enhancing the compounds’ broad-spectrum activity, particularly against dengue, which affects tens of millions of people worldwide each year.