Zika fever: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Zika virus infection • Zika virus disease

Photos and Videos

Aedes mosquito; mosquito-borne disease

Medical illustration showing two transparent human profiles: the left has a normal-sized brain, and the right shows a smaller brain and head labeled as microcephaly, with Zika virus particles in the background.

The video thumbnail shows a black and white image of a mosquito biting a human arm. The area it is biting is highlighted in pink.

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

Zika at the Rio Olympics: Is the Risk Real?Aedes aegypti Aedes polynesiensis Asian tiger mosquito Aedes Guillain-Barré syndrome Zika virus fever notifiable disease microcephaly AIDS polio influenza smallpox bird flu hepatitis yellow fever measles chikungunya fever dengue

44 Questions from Britannica’s Most Popular Health and Medicine Quizzes

A Yorkshire terrier dressed up as a veterinarian or doctor on a white background. (dogs)

A Visit with the Word Doctor: Medical Vocabulary Quiz