Outbreak of Zika virus disease in the Americas and the association with microcephaly, congenital malformations and Guillain–Barré syndrome

INTRODUCTION Prior to 2007, Zika virus (ZIKV) was generally considered an arbovirus of limited importance, causing a mild self-limiting febrile illness in tropical Africa and Southeast Asia. Now, a large, ongoing outbreak of ZIKV that started in Brazil in early 2015 is spreading rapidly across the Americas and has been potentially linked to congenital malformations (including microcephaly) and Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS). In England, as of 4 February 2016, five adults have been diagnosed with ZIKV infection following travel to countries currently experiencing a ZIKVoutbreak.