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.