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Rescue and Characterization of Recombinant Virus from a New World Zika Virus Infectious Clone
Published on: June 7, 2017
The immunology of Zika Virus
Abigail Culshaw1, Juthathip Mongkolsapaya1,2, Gavin Screaton3
1Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
Abstract:
Zika virus (ZIKV) was initially thought to cause only mild, self-limiting symptoms. However, recent outbreaks have been associated with the autoimmune disease Guillain-Barré syndrome and causally linked to a congenital malformation known as microcephaly. This has led to an urgent need for a safe and effective vaccine. A comprehensive understanding of the immunology of ZIKV infection is required to aid in the design of such a vaccine. Whilst details of both innate and adaptive immune responses to ZIKV are emerging, further research is needed. As immunopathogenesis has been implicated in poor outcomes following infection with the related dengue virus, identification of cross-reactive immune responses between flaviviruses and the impact they may have on disease progression is also of high importance.
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