Zika virus infection during the Olympic Games in Rio: A fear or an actual risk?

Rev Clin Esp (Barc). 2017 Apr;217(3):155-160. doi: 10.1016/j.rce.2016.10.004. Epub 2016 Nov 17.
[Article in English, Spanish]

Abstract

The recent outbreak of Zika virus infection in Brazil has aroused considerable media interest due to its association with neurological malformations in children born from mothers infected by the virus and to its association with Guillain-Barre syndrome in adults. This relationship has led to the World Health Organisation declaring the current epidemic as a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern". Controversy also emerged on the advisability of delaying or changing the location of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which were held in August at various locations in Brazil. In this article, we review the available evidence on the risk of Zika and dengue virus infection in individuals who travel to endemic countries, especially for multitudinous events.

Keywords: Arboviriasis; Arbovirosis; Flavivirus; Guillain-Barré; Microcefalia; Microcephaly; Virus Zika; Zika virus.