Paper Contents
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is a member of the Flavivirus genus in the Flaviviridae family, which includes important human infections such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), West Nile virus (WNV), dengue virus (DENV), and yellow fever virus (YFV)(1,2). The positive-sense RNA genome of the enveloped virus ZIKV is approximately 10.7 kilobases in size. Similar to other flaviviruses, the genome of ZIKV encodes a single polyprotein that is cleaved into three structural proteins (capsid C, premembrane prM, and envelope E) and seven nonstructural proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5) through posttranslational cleavage by both host and viral proteases (3,4). While prM stops premature fusion with host membranes, the C protein binds to viral RNA to create a nucleocapsid, and the E protein is essential for cellular attachment, entry, and fusion (5). The nonstructural proteins play a crucial role in controlling the transcription and replication of viruses. These proteins include NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5. Additionally, they have the ability to lessen host antiviral reactions (1,6,7). ZIKV belongs to the mosquito-borne lineage of flaviviruses called Spondweni virus group. It shares a tight relationship with the four serotypes of DENV, sharing about 43% of the amino acid identity in the viral polyprotein and in the E ectodomain.Comprehending the complex molecular structure and genetic composition of ZIKV is essential for appreciating its pathogenic potential and its interactions with host cells. The similarities and differences with other flaviviruses highlight the necessity for thorough investigation to clarify similarities and differences and eventually aid in the creation of potent antiviral tactics. ZIKV's evolutionary affinities and structural resemblances to other members of the flavivirus family offer a foundation for exploring possible cross-reactivity and synergy in the search for broad-spectrum antiviral therapies. The Zika virus (ZIKV) was first discovered in a rhesus monkey in 1947 (8). It first infected humans in Nigeria, Africa, in 1954 (9). Less than 20 human cases were reported during the following 50 years, with the majority of the information coming from serosurveys of the yellow fever virus (YFV). During arbovirus research in Africa and fever studies in Asia, ZIKV was found in a variety of mosquito species (8,1021). The first Zika fever outbreak occurred in 2007 in the Federated States of Micronesia's island of Yap in the Western Pacific. A larger-scale pandemic that caused an estimated 30,000 symptomatic infections later spread through French Polynesia in the South Pacific in 2013 and 2014. lesser outbreaks followed, with lesser ones in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Samoa, and Fiji in 2015, and in New Caledonia, the Cook Islands, and Easter Island in 2014. Brazil reported the first instance of the virus in March of 2015, marking the year it arrived in the Americas. Autochthonous circulation of ZIKV was observed in over 20 countries or territories in South, Central, and North America, the Caribbean, and at the end of January 2016, an outbreak had been reported in November in West Africa (Cape Verde). Severe neurological consequences, including as microcephaly in newborns in Brazil and Guillain-Barr syndrome (GBS) in adults in French Polynesia, were brought about by the development of ZIKV. ZIKV coexists alongside dengue virus (DENV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in French Polynesia and Brazil; these coexisting viruses are endemic in DENV and CHIKV and are probably found throughout the Americas, Asia, several Pacific islands, and Africa. The virus has spread to every area where Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes are present, following the same routes taken by DENV and CHIKV. The goal of this thorough analysis is to compile all of the information currently available on this newly discovered virus, providing insight into its development and effects in various geographical areas.
Copyright
Copyright © 2023 Gajbe Ritu. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License.
