Concurrent outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections – an unprecedented epidemic wave of mosquito-borne viruses in the Pacific 2012–2014

Abstract

Since January 2012, the Pacific Region has experienced 28 new documented outbreaks and circulation of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus. These mosquito-borne disease epidemics seem to become more frequent and diverse, and it is likely that this is only the early stages of a wave that will continue for several years. Improved surveillance and response measures are needed to mitigate the already heavy burden on island health systems and limit further spread to other parts of the world.

Zika virus: a previously slow pandemic spreads rapidly through the Americas

“…The next Pacific outbreak occurred in French Polynesia in 2013 and was associated with 42 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (Roth et al, 2014). The observation that blood samples collected from 2011 to 2013 had only 0.8% seropositivity to Zika virus suggests that the introduction to Polynesia was not long before the identification of the index case (Aubry et al, 2015).…”

Zika virus disease: a current review of the literature

“…Until December 2013, it was assumed to account for approximately 19,000 cases of dengue-like syndrome. Approximately, 30,000 humans (about 11 % of the total French Polynesian population) developed ZIKV infection [18][19][20][21]. This French Polynesian virus was closely related to the virus isolated in Cambodia in 2010 [10].…”

Zika virus: what do we know about the viral structure, mechanisms of transmission, and neurological outcomes?

“…Simultaneous circulation of two or more arboviruses (43) in many countries highlights the necessity for proper screening of blood samples for these viruses. Genetic material of three different viruses has been detected in samples from a single patient in Latin America (39) (49) and Zika virus RNA and viable particles were detected in blood samples from asymptomatic donors in French Polynesia (50) . In Brazil, viral RNA was detected in a patient who received blood transfusion from an asymptomatic donor who developed the disease a few days later (51) .…”