Isolation of infectious zika virus from saliva and prolonged viral RNA shedding in a traveller returning from the dominican republic to Italy, January 2016
Abstract
A young woman in her 20s was admitted to the
Infectious Disease Unit of Venice City Hospital in Italy
because of persisting fever (38°C) associated with
arthralgia, myalgia, and macular cutaneous rash, that
had developed four days before, upon return from a
two-week stay in the Dominican Republic, in January
2016. Clinical examination was remarkable for a mild
macular erythematous skin eruption on the arms and
the abdomen, and for conjunctival hyperaemia. There
was no lymph node, liver or spleen enlargement. The
abdominal ultrasound did not reveal pathological findings. Fever disappeared on the second day of hospital stay, and the skin eruption faded away completely
after three days. The patient had no underlying diseases or important medical history and was not taking
any medication.