Zika Virus News and Research

Latest Zika Virus News and Research

Paradoxical outcomes for infants exposed to Zika in utero

In the midst of an unprecedented Zika crisis in Brazil, there were a few flickers of hope: Some babies appeared to be normal at birth, free of devastating birth defects that affected other Brazilian children exposed to the virus in utero.

5 Aug 2019

Primary DENV or ZIKV infection has no effect on course of secondary infection in macaques

Previous infection with either Zika virus or dengue virus has no apparent effect on the clinical course of subsequent infection with the other virus, according to a study published August 1 in the open-access journal PLOS Pathogens by David O'Connor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and colleagues.

5 Aug 2019

Early neuroimaging essential for Zika-exposed infants

Seventy-one of 110 Brazilian infants at the highest risk for experiencing problems due to exposure to the Zika virus in the womb experienced a wide spectrum of brain abnormalities, including calcifications and malformations in cortical development, according to a study published July 31, 2019 in JAMA Network Open.

31 Jul 2019

New gene-editing study finds protective genes against Zika virus

Tel Aviv scientists have discovered certain genes that protect the host organism against attack by Zika virus, raising hopes of an eventual vaccine or cure for this dreaded viral disease.

28 Jul 2019

UMD researchers connect a protein to antibody immunity for the first time

Human cytomegalovirus may not be a household name as far as viruses go, but according to Xiaoping Zhu, professor and chair in Veterinary Medicine at UMD, half of the population walking around campus is likely to be a carrier.

10 Jul 2019

Using NMR to Study Protein Structure, Dynamics and Mechanisms

Fábio Almeida describes how NMR can be used to elucidate protein structure and how this data can be applied to human disease.

From Bruker BioSpin - NMR, EPR and Imaging 4 Jul 2019

Global study reveals viruses as important cause of childhood pneumonia

Respiratory syncytial virus and other viruses now appear to be the main causes of severe childhood pneumonia in low- and middle-income countries, highlighting the need for vaccines against these pathogens, according to a study from a consortium of scientists from around the world, led by a team at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

28 Jun 2019

Nitrogen-rich diet reduces mosquitoes' ability to transmit Zika

Feed mosquitoes more nitrogen when they're young, and the adults are less likely to transmit the Zika virus, University of Florida scientists say. Now, researchers want to know why, and they're determined to discover how the findings can help further their research into the dangerous virus.

24 Jun 2019

Scientists develop universal FACS-based approach to heterogenous cell sorting, propelling organoid research

Researchers have developed three novel FACS protocols that can be used to isolate neural progenitors, astrocytes, and neurons from infected cerebral organoids.

19 Jun 2019

Scientists create 'mini-brain' for studying sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

National Institutes of Health scientists have used human skin cells to create what they believe is the first cerebral organoid system, or "mini-brain," for studying sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

16 Jun 2019

Researchers compare American, Pacific and Southeast Asian subtypes of Zika virus

Over recent years, Zika virus has spread eastward from Africa and Asia, leading to an epidemic in the Americas. Now, researchers comparing American, Pacific and Southeast Asian subtypes of the virus in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have concluded that the American-subtype strain has the highest ability to grow both in vitro and in vivo.

From PLOS ONE 10 Jun 2019

Trump administration cracks down on fetal tissue research

The Trump administration is cutting funding for fetal tissue research despite opposition from scientists and clinicians.

10 Jun 2019

Texas Biomed awarded $2 million DOD grant to study promising Zika vaccine

The emerging Zika virus is a particular threat to pregnant women. The disease can be transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito and is associated with devastating birth defects, like microcephaly. No approved vaccine against the virus exists.

3 Jun 2019

Tips to stay safe and well when temperatures soar

Dehydration, sunburn, heatstroke, insect bites, rashes, and lacerations – summer can spell health meltdown with a seemingly endless list of unsightly, uncomfortable, and potentially lethal hazards.

24 May 2019

Previous dengue infection could protect against Zika-associated damage

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 have subsequently been born with malformations of the head, or so-called microcephaly.

18 May 2019

Study reveals long-term behavioral deficits after developmental Zika infection

Mice exposed to the Zika virus during later stages of gestation present behaviors reminiscent of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, according to a study of genetically diverse animals.

From Society for Neuroscience 14 May 2019

Scientists investigate function of AAPP in mosquito blood feeding

Biting insects use a range of tools when sucking blood from hosts to maximize their chances of a good meal.

13 May 2019

Egg yolk precursor protein plays key role in regulating mosquitos’ attraction to humans

Feeding mosquitoes sugar makes them less attracted to humans, a response that is regulated by the protein vitellogenin, according to a study publishing May 9 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Jessica Dittmer, Paolo Gabrieli and colleagues at the Università degli Studi di Pavia in Italy.

10 May 2019

Long-standing immunosuppressive drug reduces Zika birth defects in mice

In experiments with pregnant mice infected with the Zika virus, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report they have successfully used a long-standing immunosuppressive drug to diminish the rate of fetal deaths and birth defects in the mice's offspring.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 7 May 2019

Dengue mosquito poses greatest danger of spreading Zika virus in Australia

Researchers at QUT and QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute have found that the dengue fever mosquito common to north and central Queensland poses the greatest danger of spreading the Zika virus in Australia.

23 Apr 2019