Zika virus (ZIKV) has been closely associated with miscarriage and infant microcephaly in infected pregnant women, and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. The entry of ZIKV into target cells is mediated by glycosaminoglycans or C-type lectin receptors that adhere and/or recruit virus onto cell surface. ZIKV encodes multiple proteins to inhibit the immune response pathway or excessively activate host antigen pattern recognition receptors, in order to destroy the innate immune response and cause pathological effect. Innate immune response mediated by IFN-α could prevent early ZIKV infection, and cellular and humoral immunity plays an important role in the clearance of ZIKV. ZIKV therapeutic drugs in research aiming at receptors related to virus interaction with the host cell surface, key enzyme in viral replication cycle, and host intracellular targets related to virus reproduction have been reported effective in vitro and in animal trials. They need further clinical trials
to confirm. This article reviews the mechanisms of ZIKV infection and relevant therapeutic drugs.