Zika virus disease for neurologists.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Zika virus (ZIKV) was not initially thought to be an important cause of neurologic disease, but with the recent epidemic in the Western Hemisphere, there is a growing body of evidence for possible neurologic complications. This review discusses these in addition to what is known about modes of transmission, testing for the virus, as well as future directions.

RECENT FINDINGS: ZIKV disease has been associated with microcephaly and congenital eye disease in infants, as well as with Guillain-Barré syndrome, uveitis, myelitis, and meningoencephalitis in adults.

SUMMARY: Even though most infections are asymptomatic, there are important possible neurologic complications of ZIKV disease in both children and adults of which neurologists should be aware.