Cytokine kinetics of Zika virus-infected patients from acute to reconvalescent phase

Abstract

Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus currently causing large epidemics in the Pacific Ocean region and Brazil. Clinically, Zika fever resembles dengue fever, but is less severe. Whereas the clinical syndrome and laboratory diagnostic procedures have been described, little attention was paid to the immunology of the disease and its possible use for clinical follow-up of patients. Here, we investigate the role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of Zika fever in travelers returning from Asia, the Pacific, and Brazil. Polyfunctional T cell activation (Th1, Th2, Th9, and Th17 response) was seen during the acute phase characterized by respective cytokine level increases, followed by a decrease in the reconvalescent phase.

Potential Therapeutics: Toe Hold in the Fight against Zika Virus

“…Early in the Ebola epidemic, several patients received a combination of ZMapp antibody and the anti-viral Favipiravir, which led to recovery [78,79]. Reports of enhanced production of proinflammatory cytokines/ chemokines [57,58,80], which are associated with Zika pathogenicity, suggest that anti-inflammatory treatments could ameliorate disease outcomes. We hypothesize that a good candidate for combinational treatment would be one of the immunomodulatory therapeutics, such as AAL-R, that has undergone FDA approval.…”

An Indian Perspective of Some Recent Developments in Polio, DPT, Zika and Rotavirus Vaccines

“…Human skin fibrobasts, epidermal keratinocytes and immature dendritic cells were found to permit entry of ZKV [42] . ZKV-infectioninduced formation of autophagosomes, expression of antiviral antigen clusters (RIG-1, MDA-5 and TLR3) and activation of T cells (Th1, Th2, Th9 and Th17) [43] .…”

Novel Global Threat: Zika Virus Infections

“…Sitokin düzeylerindeki artışların ilerleyen dönemlerde de devam ettiği gözlen-miştir. İyileşme döneminde sağlıklı kontrollerle karşılaştırıldığında granülosit-makrofaj koloni stimülan faktör (GM-CSF) ve fibroblast büyüme faktörü (FGF) düzeylerinde anlamlı artışlar olduğu gösterilmiştir (73) .…”