ZIKA virus infection causes persistent chorioretinal lesions

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Virology
• Immunology

Background:

• Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is known to cause ocular manifestations, ranging from conjunctivitis to severe chorioretinal lesions.
• The long-term consequences and recovery timeline for ZIKV-associated ocular disease remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the partial recovery of chorioretinal lesions in a Zika-infected patient.
• To develop and characterize a symptomatic mouse model for ocular Zika virus infection to study lesion progression and underlying mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Fundus imaging and microscopy were used to analyze ocular lesions in a human patient and a mouse model.
• Viral load, immune responses (cytokine and cytotoxic molecule expression), and retinal damage markers were assessed in the mouse model.
• Histopathological analysis identified primary sites of viral infection and retinal damage.

Main Results:

• Fundus imaging revealed hypopigmentary patches and retinal thinning in the mouse model, mirroring human lesions.
• Microscopic examination showed ZIKV primarily infected the optic nerve, retinal ganglion cells, and inner nuclear layer.
• Acute infection presented with retinal disorganization, retinitis, vitritis, choroiditis, and elevated inflammatory markers; retinal degeneration and gliosis persisted at 60 days post-infection.

Conclusions:

• The developed mouse model effectively recapitulates key features of ocular Zika virus infection observed in patients.
• This model provides a valuable tool for investigating the mechanisms of ZIKV-induced ocular pathology.
• Further research using this model can aid in developing targeted therapeutics for Zika virus eye disease.