Zika virus in Brazil: an overview of public health policies

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this review was to discuss the effectiveness of public health policies in controlling Zika virus (ZIKV) in Brazil from 2015 to 2019 with an emphasis in the state of Pernambuco. Literature Review: Zika virus is an arbovirus primarily transmitted to humans by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Since 2015, the control of Aedes aegypti proliferation and diffusion has been a global subject of discussion due to its role in ZIKV transmission and the emergence of serious clinical symptoms resulting from this infection. In Brazil, the public policies established to control ZIKV outbreak were mostly based on vector control. Final Considerations: The coping model to manage the transmission vector of ZIKV is not showing to be effective. Furthermore, until the social factors that favor the development and maintenance of mosquito breeding sites are eradicated, Brazil will continue to be susceptible to new outbreaks of mosquito-driven arboviruses. Here, we discussed the effectiveness of public health policies for the control of ZIKV in Brazil from 2015 to 2019, with a primary focus on the state of Pernambuco (PE).