A virus that has been known since 1947 is now the concern of the CRM Center for Travel Medicine. This was found in some travelers returning from Thailand. It is transmitted almost exclusively through the bites of diurnal mosquitoes. Rarely, but also possible: through sexual contact.

This virus was first found in Uganda in 1947. It has since spread to various tropical and subtropical regions. According to CRM, it is predominantly transmitted by the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus.

The institute explains that between May and June 2022, a total of five travelers who had previously been on vacation in Thailand sought medical treatment due to symptoms. These are said to have shown typical features and, with one exception, a high fever is said to have occurred.

However, CRM points out that Zika virus infections are usually mild and around 80 percent of those affected have no symptoms at all. Therefore, one must generally assume a very high number of unreported cases. However, young children and pregnant women are at risk because the virus can impair brain development.

There is currently no vaccine against Zika, so the only protection is avoiding bites from the vector mosquitoes. This also applies to other diseases that can be transmitted via insects.