Untold stories of the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil

Abstract

The Zika virus infection outbreak in Brazil in 2014 to 2015 resulted in the identification of previously unknown consequences of the disease, including the notorious microcephaly among many defects in fetuses born to women infected during pregnancy. A number of individuals were involved in this remarkable discovery, from the detection of viral circulation in the country to the studies on the causal link with congenital abnormalities and the provision of awareness and social support to families affected by the disease. In this article, we review the background to this experience, describing aspects of the epidemiology, medical research, and scientific response to the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil.