Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arthropod-borne flavivirus that, upon
infection, results in teratogenic effects and
neurological disorders. ZIKV
infections pose serious global public health concerns, prompting scientists to increase research on
antivirals and
vaccines against the virus. These efforts are still ongoing as the pathogenesis and immune evasion mechanisms of ZIKV have not yet been fully elaborated. Currently, no specific
vaccines or drugs have been approved for ZIKV; however, some are undergoing clinical trials. Notably, several strategies have been used to develop
antivirals, including drugs that target viral and host
proteins. Additionally, drug repurposing is preferred since it is less costly and takes less time than other strategies because the drugs used have already been approved for human use. Likewise, different platforms have been evaluated for the design of
vaccines, including
DNA,
mRNA,
peptide,
protein, viral vectors, virus-like particles (VLPSs), inactivated-virus, and live-attenuated virus
vaccines. These
vaccines have been shown to induce specific humoral and cellular immune responses and reduce
viremia and
viral RNA both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, most of these
vaccines have entered clinical trials. Understanding the
viral disease mechanism will provide better strategies for developing therapeutic agents against ZIKV. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the viral pathogenesis of ZIKV and current advancements in the development of
vaccines and drugs against this virus.