Breadcrumb
< Timeline
1952-2016Zika virus

History of Zika virus: Outbreaks and vaccine timeline

Learn about the Zika virus and Zika vaccine development.

Mosquito bites a person's skin

Mosquito bites a person

Zika virus is most often spread through mosquito bites.

1952

Zika virus is first reported in a human.

2007

Zika virus causes an outbreak on the Yap Islands.

2013-2014

Zika virus causes an outbreak in French Polynesia.

2014-2015

Zika virus causes an outbreak in Brazil.

2016

WHO declares Zika virus to be a public health emergency of international concern. But the public health emergency ends later in 2016. Many researchers actively study and develop Zika virus vaccines. Mayo Clinic researchers also study Zika virus vaccines. A Zika virus vaccine is especially important to protect people at high risk for complications. This includes women who are pregnant or of childbearing age.

  1. Plotkin SA, et al., eds. Plotkin’s Vaccines. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2018. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 8, 2021.
  2. Blake JB. Benjamin Waterhouse and the introduction of vaccination. Reviews of Infectious Diseases. Oxford University Press. 1987;doi:10.1093/clinids/9.5.1044.
  3. Desmond A, et al. On the shoulders of giants — From Jenner’s cowpox to mRNA Covid vaccines. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2021; doi:10.1056/NEJMp2034334.
  4. Saleh A, et al. Vaccine development throughout history. Cureus. 2021; doi:10.7759/cureus.16635.
  5. The history of vaccines. College of Physicians of Philadelphia. https://www.historyofvaccines.org. Accessed Oct. 7, 2021.
  6. Stokes J, et al. Trivalent combined measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. JAMA. 1971;218:57.
  7. Klein NP. Licensed pertussis vaccine in the United States: History and current state. 2014; doi:10.4161/hv.29576.
  8. Influenza historic timeline. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/pandemic-timeline-1930-and-beyond.htm. Accessed Oct. 7, 2021.
  9. Poland GA, et al. Development of vaccines against Zika virus. The Lancet. Infectious Diseases. 2018; doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30063-X.
  10. Poland GA, et al. Zika vaccine development: Current status. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2019; doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.05.016.
  11. Li YD, et al. Coronavirus vaccine development: From SARS and MERS to COVID-19. Journal of Biomedical Science. 2020; doi:10.1186/s12929-020-00695-2.
  12. Dolgin E. The tangled history of mRNA vaccines. Nature. 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-02483-w.
  13. Goodman RA, et al., eds. Vaccination mandates: The public health imperative and individual rights. In: Law in Public Health Practice. Oxford University Press; 2007.
  14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Current trends childhood immunization initiative, United States — 5-year follow up. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 1982; http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00001091.htm. Accessed Oct. 7, 2021.
  15. Immunization and infectious diseases. HealthyPeople.gov. https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/immunization-and-infectious-diseases. Accessed Oct. 7, 2021.
  16. The history of vaccines. History of the immunization schedule. College of Physicians of Philadelphia. https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/history-immunization-schedule. Accessed Oct. 7, 2021.
  17. NNDS surveillance materials and resources. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/surveillance/materials-resources.html. Accessed Oct. 7, 2021.
  18. Roush SW, et al. Historical comparisons of morbidity and mortality for vaccine-preventable disease in the United States. JAMA. 2007;doi:10.1001/jama.298.18.2155.
  19. Poland GA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Sept. 17, 2021.
  20. Vaccine effectiveness: How well do flu vaccines work? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/vaccines-work/vaccineeffect.htm. Accessed Oct. 8, 2021.
  21. 1918 pandemic influenza timeline. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-commemoration/pandemic-timeline-1918.htm. Accessed Oct. 8, 2021.
  22. Safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/safety-of-vaccines.html. Accessed Oct. 8, 2021.
  23. Understanding mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mRNA.html. Accessed Oct. 8, 2021.
  24. COVID-19 vaccines. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines. Accessed Oct. 12, 2021.
  25. Poland GA, et al. The age-old struggle against the antivaccinationists. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2011; doi:10.1056/NEJMp1010594.
  26. Clapesattle H. The Doctors Mayo. The University of Minnesota Press; 1941.
  27. Saint Mary’s isolation hospital during the influenza pandemic. Saint Marys Hospital Annals; 1918.
  28. Harren R. Olmsted country in the grippe of Spanish influenza. The Scribe. History Center of Olmsted Country. 2018.
  29. Strand PK. A Century of Caring: 1889-1989. Saint Marys Hospital; 1988.
  30. Mayo Clinic: The battle plan for H1N1. Mayo Alumni Magazine; 2009.
  31. First polio vaccine delivery. MayoVox. Mayo Clinic; 1955.
  32. Rosenow EC. Prophylactic inoculation against respiratory infections during the present pandemic of influenza: Preliminary report. Mayo Clinic; 1918.
  33. Rules concerning the report of contagious diseases. The Clinic Bulletin. 1919;1;1.
  34. Maltezou HA, et al. Immunization of health-care providers: Necessity and public-health policies. Healthcare. 2016; doi: 10.3390/healthcare4030047.
  35. Voigt EA, et al. Defending against smallpox: A focus on vaccines. Expert Review of Vaccines. 2016; doi:10.1080/14760584.2016.1175305.
  36. Wright GH, et al. Effect of reduced dose schedules and intramuscular injection of anthrax vaccine adsorbed on immunological response and safety profile: A randomized trial. Vaccine. 2014; doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.10.039.
  37. Spikevax and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/spikevax-and-moderna-covid-19-vaccine#additional. Accessed Feb. 11, 2022.