Zika vaccines have been developed for vaccination and prevention against diseases caused by the zika virus, which belongs to the genus Flavivirus and is transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. It can be also transmitted through blood transfusion, sexual contact, or infected pregnant women to the fetus. In 2016, the World Health Organization announced that the zika virus no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern because the major causes of the virus were asymptomatic. As of January 2020, there are no areas with a current Zika outbreak.
The goal of the Zika vaccines is to produce specific antibodies against the Zika virus to prevent infection and critical illness. Currently, no vaccine or prophylactic treatment is available for the prevention of the virus, but there are medications and treatments available to help reduce the discomfort associated with the disease. However, there are different types of vaccines that may protect against the Zika virus, such as genetically engineered vaccines, mRNA vaccines, purified inactivated vaccines, live attenuated vaccines, viral vector-based vaccines, and DNA-based vaccines.
Zika outbreaks have been reported in the Pacific region, South/Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, and parts of south and Southeast Asia. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018 and 2019, there have been no reports of Zika virus transmission by mosquitoes in the continental United States... Read more