Zika virus. I. Isolations and serological specifi city

Abstract

(1) The isolation of what is believed to be a hitherto unrecorded virus is described. The first isolation was made in April 1947 from the serum of a pyrexial rhesus monkey caged in the canopy of Zika Forest. The second isolation was made from a lot of A. africanus taken in January, 1948, in the same forest. The virus has been called Zika virus after the locality from where the isolations were made.

(2) Cross neutralization tests indicate that Zika virus is not related to yellow fever, Hawaii dengue nor to the FA and GD VII strains of Theiler's mouse encephalomyelitis virus. Neutralization tests with Zika virus and the antisera of some other viruses which are neurotropic in mice gave no evidence of any identity of these with Zika virus.