Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: What it is and how it relates to Zika virus

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system and can be diagnosed with only one of its essential symptoms: optic neuritis, myelitis, or encephalitis, in the presence of anti-aquaporin 4 antibodies (AQP4-Abs). This neurological syndrome can be diagnosed in seronegative or in unknown serological status individuals and has been related to viral infections, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Both NMOSD and ZIKV infection have astrocyte involvement. However, how ZIKV is related to NMOSD has not yet been established. ZIKV can cause direct damage to the central nervous system and can be a trigger for immune-mediated processes. In this chapter, we discuss the concepts related to NMOSD and its relationship to ZIKV, an infection that has also been linked to isolated myelitis, optic neuritis, and encephalitis, among other neurological complications.