Import van zikavirus-infectie in Nederland

Since mid-2015, an outbreak of Zika virus infection has been rapidly is spreading across Latin America and the Caribbean. Although Zika virus infection usually causes only mild disease, the World Health Organization has declared its epidemiological association with the occurrence of congenital microcephaly and neurological complications a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’ and has urged the international community to mount a coordinated international response aimed at protecting people at risk, especially pregnant women. In December 2015, the first case of imported Zika virus infection in the Netherlands was diagnosed in a traveller returning from Surinam. To date, more than 20 cases have been reported in the Netherlands, all imported from Surinam. We describe the epidemiology, clinical aspects, diagnostic challenges and the evidence to date linking Zika virus infection to complications.

Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.