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Zika Virus Disease for the Neurointensivist

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Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted flavivirus currently spreading throughout the Pacific and Western Hemisphere. ZIKV infection is often either asymptomatic or causes a self-limiting illness with symptoms such as rash, fever, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, or conjunctivitis. Rarely, ZIKV infection has been associated with conditions such as severe thrombocytopenia, microcephaly and other developmental abnormalities, acute polyneuropathy/Guillain–Barré syndrome, myelitis, meningoencephalitis, transient encephalopathy, provoked seizures, and various ophthalmologic conditions. Optimal treatment of these ZIKV-associated conditions is currently unclear and is largely guided by expert opinion or case reports/series. Further studies are needed to establish best treatment practices. This review concentrates on caring by neurointensivists for the patient affected with Zika virus-expected to flare up again in the summer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neuro-Infectious Diseases Group, Department of Neurology and Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado Denver, 12401 East 17th Avenue, Mailstop L950, Room 486, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA

    Daniel M. Pastula, Daniel E. Smith, J. David Beckham & Kenneth L. Tyler

  2. Department of Neurology, Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA

    Julia C. Durrant

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Correspondence to Daniel M. Pastula.

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Pastula, D.M., Durrant, J.C., Smith, D.E. et al. Zika Virus Disease for the Neurointensivist. Neurocrit Care 26, 457–463 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-016-0333-z

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