Khawar Waqaar, Bromberg Romina, Moor Molly, Lyubynska Natalya, Mahmoudi Hilda
Department of Internal Medicine, Aventura Hospital and Medical Center.
GME, Aventura Hospital and Medical Center.
Cureus. 2017 Mar 16;9(3):e1099. doi: 10.7759/cureus.1099.
Zika virus, an arbovirus of the family, is a mosquito-borne virus known to cause microcephaly through vertical transmission. Infection presents with mild, self-limiting symptoms. Currently, a Zika virus outbreak has spread across most of South and Central America. Travel-related and sexually transmitted cases have been reported across the United States. However, the vector-borne transmission has been limited to Florida and Texas. We present seven cases of Zika virus infection that presented at a single institution in South Florida.
Patients were included that had real-time polymerase-chain reaction (RT-PCR) for Zika virus RNA in urine or serum or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody against Zika virus in serum.
All seven patients reported recent travel or employment in areas of active Zika virus transmission and at least two of the four most commonly reported symptoms (fever, arthralgia, rash, and conjunctivitis) with a rash present in all patients. All patients had positive RT-PCR for Zika virus RNA in urine. RT-PCR for Zika virus RNA in serum was negative in four of five patients that were tested, indicating that these patients likely presented one to two weeks after symptom onset.
The future of Zika virus outbreaks in other cities in the United States is still uncertain. However, it is clear that prevention and control policies are urgently needed. We have presented seven confirmed cases of Zika virus infection in South Florida. In addition to conducting research concerning both the diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of the virus, there is a need for public awareness of its presentation, methods of transmission, and subsequent clinical outcomes.
寨卡病毒是该病毒家族的一种虫媒病毒，是一种已知可通过垂直传播导致小头畸形的蚊媒病毒。感染后症状轻微，具有自限性。目前，寨卡病毒疫情已蔓延至南美洲和中美洲的大部分地区。美国各地均有与旅行相关和性传播的病例报告。然而，媒介传播仅限于佛罗里达州和得克萨斯州。我们报告了在南佛罗里达州一家机构就诊的7例寨卡病毒感染病例。
纳入的患者进行了尿液或血清中寨卡病毒RNA的实时聚合酶链反应（RT-PCR）检测，或血清中抗寨卡病毒免疫球蛋白M（IgM）抗体的酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）。
所有7名患者均报告近期在寨卡病毒活跃传播地区旅行或工作，且出现了至少四种最常见症状（发热、关节痛、皮疹和结膜炎）中的两种，所有患者均出现皮疹。所有患者尿液中寨卡病毒RNA的RT-PCR检测均为阳性。在接受检测的5名患者中，有4名患者血清中寨卡病毒RNA的RT-PCR检测为阴性，这表明这些患者可能在症状出现后一至两周就诊。
寨卡病毒在美国其他城市爆发的未来仍不确定。然而，显然迫切需要预防和控制政策。我们报告了南佛罗里达州7例确诊的寨卡病毒感染病例。除了开展有关该病毒诊断和治疗方面的研究外，还需要提高公众对其表现、传播方式及后续临床结果的认识。
