The latest science on Zika and the challenges ahead

"Zika Virus: Emergence, Phylogenetics, Challenges, and Opportunities"
ACS Infectious Diseases

As health officials around the world continue to fight the spread of Zika, scientists are working quickly to better understand the virus. A review article in the journal ACS Infectious Diseases summarizes what they now know — or suspect — about the disease, and what the remaining challenges are for its diagnosis, treatment and prevention.

Zika is a mosquito-borne virus that was first discovered in the 1940s. Many people who contract the disease show mild or no symptoms. But the recent outbreak, mostly in Latin America, and its link to severe birth defects, rapidly made it a public health priority.

The authors acknowledge funding from McGill University and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Nature et Technologies.