Objective: Mosquito-borne diseases pose a threat to individual health and population health on both a local and a global level. The threat is even more exaggerated during disasters, whether manmade or environmental. With the recent Zika virus outbreak, it is important to highlight other infections that can mimic the Zika virus and to better understand what can be done as public health officials and health care providers.
Methods: This article reviews the recent literature on the Zika virus as well as chikungunya virus and dengue virus.
Results: The present findings give a better understanding of the similarities and differences between the 3 infections in terms of their characteristics, clinical presentation, diagnosis methodology, and treatment and what can be done for prevention. Additionally, the article highlights a special population that has received much focus in the latest outbreak, the pregnant individual.
Conclusion: Education and training are instrumental in controlling the outbreak, and early detection can be lifesaving. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:290-299).
Keywords: Zika; chikungunya; clinical update; dengue; mosquito.