Protection from Zika virus may lie in a protein derived from mosquitoes
By targeting a protein found in the saliva of mosquitoes that transmit Zika virus, investigators reduced Zika infection in mice. The finding demonstrates how researchers might develop a vaccine against...
View ArticleNew model IDs primate species with potential to spread Zika in the Americas
In the Americas, primate species likely to harbor Zika -- and potentially transmit the virus -- are common, abundant, and often live near people. So reports a new study.
View ArticleMolecules with strong anti-Zika virus potential
Scientists have created a molecule with both strong anti-Zika properties and low toxicity to animal cells.
View ArticleDengue mosquito is Queensland's biggest threat for spreading Zika virus
Researchers have found that the dengue fever mosquito common to north and central Queensland poses the greatest danger of spreading the Zika virus in Australia. The researchers showed that not only was...
View ArticleRheumatoid arthritis drug diminishes Zika birth defects in mice
In experiments with pregnant mice infected with the Zika virus, researchers report they have successfully used a long-standing immunosuppressive drug to diminish the rate of fetal deaths and birth...
View ArticleEarly dengue virus infection could 'defuse' zika virus
The Zika virus outbreak in Latin America has affected over 60 million people up to now. The infection can have potentially fatal consequences for pregnant women and their unborn children: many children...
View ArticleGenetic screen identifies genes that protect cells from Zika virus
A new study uses a genetic screen to identify genes that protect cells from Zika viral infection. The research may one day lead to the development of a treatment for Zika and other infections.
View ArticleFear of more dangerous second Zika, dengue infections unfounded in monkeys
An initial infection with dengue virus did not prime monkeys for an especially virulent infection of Zika virus, according to a new study. Nor did a bout with Zika make a follow-on dengue infection...
View ArticleBirth defects associated with Zika virus infection may depend on mother's...
New research may help explain why Zika virus infection causes birth defects in some children but not others. The study suggests that the risk of developing an abnormally small head (microcephaly)...
View ArticleAn unreported Zika outbreak in 2017 detected through travel surveillance and...
By sequencing virus genomes from infected travelers, analyzing travel patterns and mosquito modeling, researchers unearthed a spike in Zika cases from travelers returning from Cuba during the summer of...
View ArticleHIV drug stops Zika infection, strategy could halt infections caused by...
Researchers report that a drug used in the treatment of HIV also suppresses Zika virus infection. In cell and animal models, they show that rilpivirine stops Zika virus by targeting enzymes that both...
View ArticleCritical protein that could unlock West Nile/Zika virus treatments identified
Scientists have identified a protein that is critical in controlling replication of West Nile and Zika viruses -- and could be important for developing therapies to prevent and treat those viruses.
View ArticleHow the Zika virus can spread
The spread of infectious diseases such as Zika depends on many different factors. Researchers were able to generate reliable maps for the transmission risk of the Zika virus in South America.
View ArticleInsulin can increase mosquitoes' immunity to West Nile virus
A discovery has the potential to inhibit the spread of West Nile virus as well as Zika and dengue viruses. The researchers demonstrated that mammalian insulin activated an antiviral immunity pathway in...
View ArticleHow maternal Zika virus infection results in newborn microcephaly
Researchers have discovered that the Zika virus protein NS4A disrupts brain growth by hijacking a pathway that regulates the generation of new neurons.
View ArticleZika virus can cause immune and brain abnormalities in asymptomatic pig...
Zika virus infection in the womb produces altered immune responses and sex-specific brain abnormalities in apparently healthy pig offspring, according to a new study.
View ArticleZika vaccine protects both mom and fetus, but mom needs a higher dose when...
Researchers showed, for the first time, that a single, higher dose of vaccination to a pregnant mouse safely protects both her and her fetus from the Zika virus. The researchers found that a single,...
View ArticleBreakthrough in Zika virus vaccine
Researchers have made significant advances in developing a novel vaccine against Zika virus, which could potentially lead to global elimination of the disease.
View ArticleZika vaccine protects fetus in pregnant monkeys
An experimental vaccine against the Zika virus reduced the amount of virus in pregnant rhesus macaques and improved fetal outcomes. The work could help support development and approval of an...
View ArticleFalse negatives: Delayed Zika effects in babies who appeared normal at birth
Colombian infants exposed to Zika virus in the womb showed neurodevelopmental delays as toddlers, despite having 'normal' brain imaging and head circumference at birth, a finding that underscores the...
View ArticleA Zika vaccine could save suffering and costs
A new study found that routinely giving the Zika vaccine to women of childbearing age could save money if the risk of Zika is around that of other mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya.
View ArticleLessons learned from addressing myths about Zika and yellow fever outbreaks...
When disease epidemics and outbreaks occur, conspiracy theories often emerge that compete with the information provided by public health officials. A new study finds that information used to counter...
View ArticleKnowing more about a virus threat may not satisfy you
People who rate themselves as highly knowledgeable about a new infectious disease threat could also be more likely to believe they don't know enough, a new study suggests. In the case of this study,...
View ArticlePrior Zika virus infection increases risk of severe dengue disease
A new study finds that people who have antibodies to the mosquito-borne Zika virus are more vulnerable to developing dengue disease. This immune interaction, called antibody-dependent enhancement,...
View ArticleHow Zika virus degrades essential protein for neurological development via...
Researchers shed new light on how Zika virus hijacks our own cellular machinery to break down an essential protein for neurological development, getting it to 'eat itself'. By triggering this process...
View ArticleCommonly used antibiotic shows promise for combating Zika infections
Researchers used a variety of advanced drug screening techniques to test out more than 10,000 compounds in search of a cure. To their surprise, they found that the widely used antibiotic methacycline...
View ArticlePersistence of Zika virus in the brain causes long-term problems in mice
The Zika virus can remain in mouse brain for extended periods, leading to long-term neurological and behavioral consequences, according to a new study.
View ArticleAsian tiger mosquito poses low risk for Zika virus outbreaks
The Asian tiger mosquito does not pose a major risk for Zika virus epidemics, according to a new study.
View ArticleGenetically-modified mosquitoes key to stopping Zika virus spread
In 2016, the World Health Organization called the Zika virus epidemic a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to the virus causing birth defects for pregnant women in addition to...
View ArticleHow Zika virus is transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy
A preclinical study has discovered a new mechanism for how Zika virus can pass from mothers to their children during pregnancy - a process known as vertical transmission. The researchers showed, for...
View ArticleScientists reveal details of antibodies that work against Zika virus
The Zika outbreak of 2015 and 2016 is having lasting impacts on children whose mothers became infected with the virus while they were pregnant.
View ArticleSuccessful Zika vaccine in preclinical studies
Researchers have demonstrated the success of a vaccine against Zika virus. The vaccine was generated using a novel platform technology.
View ArticleSource of Zika neurodevelopmental defects
A study identified how microcephaly (abnormally small heads) and blindness may develop in Zika-infected fetuses, as well as a new way to potentially prevent these neurodevelopmental defects.
View ArticleChimeric viruses unearth hidden gems in dengue virus structure
In a recent study, scientists used an original approach to resolve the 3D structure of flaviviruses with an unprecedented level of detail, identifying small molecules known as 'pocket factors' as new...
View ArticleZika virus RNA found in free-ranging African bats
Scientists have detected Zika virus RNA in free-ranging African bats. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule that plays a central role in the function of genes.
View ArticleMapping dengue hot spots pinpoints risk for Zika and chikungunya
Data from nine cities in Mexico confirms that identifying dengue fever 'hot spots' can provide a predictive map for future outbreaks of Zika and chikungunya. All three of these viral diseases are...
View ArticleZika virus-specific therapy protects the fetal mouse brain
A gene-silencing therapy protected against Zika virus transmission from pregnant mice to the mouse fetuses, finds a new study. The treatment, which harnesses nanoparticles called small extracellular...
View ArticleChikungunya, Zika, and Dengue virus incidence in Mexico may be higher than...
Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika viruses have all been recorded in Mexico; however, recent diagnostic advances have improved the accuracy of serological testing. A new study suggests that current...
View ArticleResearchers pinpoint how Zika virus evades cell's antiviral response
In a new study of the Zika virus, scientists have discovered a key mechanism used by the virus to evade the antiviral response of the cell it is attacking. This finding contributes to a better...
View ArticleBrazilian babies born with Zika virus syndrome at greater risk of death in...
Babies born with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), due to infection with the Zika virus during pregnancy, are at more than 11x greater risk of dying during the first three years of life than those born...
View ArticleA small mutation can make Zika virus even more dangerous
Researchers have found that Zika virus can mutate to become more infective -- and potentially break through pre-existing immunity.
View ArticleHow human cells become Zika virus factories
Scientists solve the mystery of how Zika virus takes over key immune system cells. New findings shed light on how to stop the virus from spreading.
View ArticleNew zika vaccine shows promise in animal models
Researchers have developed a Zika vaccine technology that is highly effective and safe in preclinical mouse models.
View ArticleUnusual type of antibody shows ultrapotent activity against Zika
An unusual type of antibody that even at miniscule levels neutralizes the Zika virus and renders the virus infection undetectable in preclinical models has been identified.
View ArticleZika infection in pregnant macaques slows fetal growth
Zika virus infection in pregnant rhesus macaques slows fetal growth and affects how infants and mothers interact in the first month of life, according to a new study. The work has implications for both...
View ArticleA patch of protection against Zika virus
A simple-to-apply, needle-free vaccine patch is being developed to protect people from the potentially deadly mosquito-borne Zika virus.
View ArticleZika's shape-shifting machinery, and a possible vulnerability
Viruses have limited genetic material -- and few proteins -- so all the pieces must work extra hard. Zika is a great example; the virus only produces 10 proteins. Now researchers have shown how the...
View ArticleBacteria breakthrough could accelerate mosquito control schemes
Mosquito larvae grow faster if they're exposed to particular bacteria, according to a new study that could help global health programs.
View ArticleWrong place, wrong time: Why Zika virus hijacks a protein needed for brain...
The mosquito-borne Zika virus is known for causing microcephaly, a birth defect in which abnormal brain development results in a smaller-than-expected head. A new study shows that the Zika virus...
View ArticleZika uses human skin as 'mosquito magnet' to spread virus further
Zika virus hijacks the skin of its human host to send out chemical signals that lure more mosquitoes to infect and spread the disease further, new research shows.
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