Zika Virus Disease for the Neurointensivist

Daniel M. Pastula, Julia C. Durrant, Daniel E. Smith, J. David Beckham, Kenneth L. Tyler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

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.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)457-463
Number of pages7
JournalNeurocritical Care
Volume26
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1 2017

Keywords

  • Arbovirus
  • Encephalitis
  • Flavivirus
  • Guillain–Barré syndrome
  • Myelitis
  • Neurocritical care
  • Neurology
  • Seizures
  • Thrombocytopenia
  • Zika
  • Zika virus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
  • Clinical Neurology

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