icddr,b Identifies First Zika Virus Cluster in Bangladesh

The breakthrough came after a targeted screening of patient samples in 2023, which revealed five Zika cases in Dhaka, according to a report published on icddr,b's website today (3 March).

The study involved screening 152 fever patients exhibiting Zika-like symptoms at icddr,b’s diagnostic facility in Mohakhali, Dhaka. PCR testing confirmed Zika infections in five individuals.

All five cases were detected within a one-kilometre radius, and notably, none of the patients had traveled abroad in the past two years, suggesting a local transmission chain. One of the five individuals was also found to have dengue, marking the first recorded coinfection of Zika and dengue in Bangladesh.

Zika virus infections are likely underdiagnosed and underreported for two main reasons: many cases exhibit mild or no symptoms, with only about 20% of infected individuals showing significant signs of illness; and symptoms such as fever, headache, and muscle pain overlap with those of dengue and chikungunya.

While Zika is rarely fatal in healthy individuals, it poses a severe risk to pregnant women, as it can cause fetal complications such as microcephaly, leading to intellectual disabilities and increased infant mortality. Therefore, monitoring and controlling the virus, particularly in pregnant women, has become a critical public health priority.

Zika can be transmitted not only through mosquito bites but also through sexual contact, blood transfusions, and mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, highlighting the importance of vigilance in public health efforts.