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Zika virus in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia: are there health risks for travelers?

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Abstract

Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia have reported first cases of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection since 2010 (Cambodia) and 2016 (Vietnam and Laos). One case of ZIKV-related microcephaly was recognized among a hundred infected cases in these areas, raising a great concern about the health risk related to this virus infection. At least 5 cases of ZIKV infection among travelers to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia were recorded. It is noticeable that ZIKV in these areas can cause birth defects. This work aims to discuss the current epidemics of ZIKV in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia and update the infection risk of ZIKV for travelers to these areas.

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Notes

  1. Traveler is someone who visits a foreign country for pleasure and interest or work.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank MSc. Phuong Linh Nguyen (an English editor), Ms. Ngoc-Quynh Hoang (Jaxtina English Center, Hanoi, Vietnam), and Ms. Huong-Thi Nguyen (Hanoi Medical University) for critical reading and checking to improve the revised manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Research and Development, Duy Tan University, 03 QuangTrung, Danang, Vietnam

    Thien Chu Dinh

  2. Vietnam Military Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Nguyen Duy Bac

  3. NTT Hi-tech Institute, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, 300A Nguyen Tat Thanh St., Ward 13, District 4, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Le Bui Minh

  4. School of Odonto Stomatology, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Vo Truong Nhu Ngoc & Dinh-Toi Chu

  5. AI Lab, Faculty of Information Technology, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Van-Huy Pham

  6. Institute for Preventive Medicine & Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Hoang-Long Vo

  7. Institute of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, Viet Duc Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Nguyen Le Bao Tien & Vo Van Thanh

  8. College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 8, 210095, China

    Yang Tao

  9. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, JalanBroga, 43500, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

    Pau Loke Show

  10. Faculty of Biology, Hanoi National University of Education, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Dinh-Toi Chu

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  1. Thien Chu Dinh
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Thien Chu Dinh, Nguyen Duy Bac, and Le Bui Minh are co-first authors.

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Dinh, T.C., Bac, N.D., Minh, L.B. et al. Zika virus in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia: are there health risks for travelers?. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 38, 1585–1590 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10096-019-03563-6

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