Zika virus was originally identified in a sentinel rhesus monkey in the Zika Forest of Uganda in 1947. The virus is a member of the Flavivirus genus in Flaviviridae and is classified as "torch pathogen". It is mainly transmitted to humans by Aedes species mosquitoes.As the symptoms of infection were mild, Zika virus began to be little known. Only after the outbreak in Brazil in 2015 did people realize the spread of Zika virus and the serious disease consequences. Zika virus is transmitted to the fetus during the mother's pregnancy, resulting in microcephaly of the fetus. Microcephaly is the first congenital abnormality related to Zika virus infection. Microcephaly is a serious disease. Fetal brain development causes the head to be smaller than normal size, usually accompanied by cognitive and physiological delays. Microcephaly is an important sign of nervous system malformation and a predictor of future disability. However, the vertical transmission mechanism of Zika virus is still largely unknown. The suspicious link between Zika virus infection and microcephaly is an urgent global health problem. Besides microcephaly, Zika virus can also cause other diseases such as Guillain-Barré. However, there is currently no Zika virus vaccine. The current treatment guidelines are based on limited evidence and mostly symptomatic treatment. However, the World Health Organization has made the development of Zika virus vaccine a top priority. This is the first major infectious disease related to human birth defects in more than half a century. The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a global warning and announced this public health emergency that has aroused international concern. This review describes the origin, prevalence and spread of Zika virus infection, fetal microcephaly, the relationship between Zika virus and microcephaly and other diseases, as well as the treatment status and progress of Zika virus.
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