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Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory

Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory

ZIKA Virus

What is ZIKA?

Zika is a virus that recently spread to the Americas that is transmitted by mosquitoes . Symptoms are usually mild, but neurological and autoimmune complications can result from infection with the virus. Currently, there are no vaccines or medications available to prevent infection. Avoiding mosquito bites is the best defense against Zika virus infection. The Zika virus is related to dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, and West Nile viruses. It was discovered in 1947 in Africa and is named after the Zika Forest in Uganda (zika means "overgrown" in Lugandan), where the virus was first recovered from a sentinel rhesus monkey that was being used in a yellow fever research project. It was first isolated from a human in Nigeria in 1954.

Essential Information on the ZIKA Virus

Albo and aeg close up

View the Mosquito Life Cycle

Prevention

Black and white image of person wearing jacket that covers head and arms Applying mosquito repellent to exposed skin
Eliminate Water Holding Containers  Wear Protective Clothing  Use Appropriate Repellents 

Contact JRey@ufl.edu