Abstract
Zika virus is a member of the Flaviviridae virus family and the Flavivirus genus. In humans, it initially causes a mildness known as Zika virus. In 2014, the Zika virus spread east world across the Pacific Ocean to French, then to Easter Island and in 2015 to Central America where the Zika outbreak has reached pandemic levels. Zika virus is transmitted by day time active mosquitoes and has been isolated from a number of species in the genus Aedes as A. africans, A. apiwargenteus, A. furcifer, A. hensilli, A. luteocephalus, and A. vitatus. Zika virus is enveloped and icosahedral with a non-segmented, single stranded, positive sense RNA genome. It is most closely related to the spondweni virus and is one of the two viruses in the spondweni virus clade. The pathogenesis of the virus is hypothesized to start with an infection of dendritic cells near the site of inoculation, followed by a spread to lymph nodes and the blood stream. There is possible link between Zika fever and microencephaly in new born babies by mother to child transmission. The illness is similar to the mild form of Dengue fever and cannot yet be prevented by drug or vaccines .In January 2016, the U.S CDC issued travel guidance on affected countries including the use of enhanced precautions and guidelines for pregnant womens, other governments and health agencies soon issued similar travel warning .In this review we discuss regarding transmission of zika virus and safety measures for pregnant women which may helps to provide awareness regarding this serious zika virus.
