Zika Virus: Emergence, Phylogenetics, Challenges, and Opportunities

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arthropod-borne pathogen that has recently gained notoriety due to its rapid and ongoing geographic expansion and its novel association with neurological complications. Reports of ZIKV-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome as well as fetal microcephaly place emphasis on the need to develop preventative measures and therapeutics to combat ZIKV infection. Thus, it is imperative that models to study ZIKV replication and pathogenesis and the immune response are developed in conjunction with integrated vector control strategies to mount an efficient response to the pandemic. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on ZIKV, including the clinical features, phylogenetic analyses, pathogenesis, and the immune response to infection. Potential challenges in developing diagnostic tools, treatment, and prevention strategies are also discussed.

Zika Virus Infection: Induction, Restriction and Evasion of Host Interferon Responses

“…Investigating the importance of IFN signaling in priming recognition of ZIKV-infected cells by the adaptive immune system will also further our understanding of viral infection in the context of the whole organism. Importantly, although the commonly used immunocompro-mised murine models provide a useful tool to study viral pathogenesis, immunocompetent models will be important for examination of the host immune response [1,17].…”

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Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne flavivirus that has become a significant global health concern due to its rapid geographic expansion and association with novel neurological pathogenesis [1]. The recent emergence of ZIKV is multifactorial and likely includes the expanded geographical range of Aedes sp.

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“…mosquitoes, the immunological naivety of human populations outside of historically endemic regions and global travel of infected individuals [2]. In addition to these epidemiological consequences of globalization, ZIKV has evolved novel mechanisms to induce disease pathogenesis and evade host immune responses [1,2]. Understanding how recently acquired viral polymorphisms influence viral pathogenesis and the host immune response during infection is crucial to further our understanding of ZIKV infection and pathogenesis.…”

“…Investigating the importance of IFN signaling in priming recognition of ZIKV-infected cells by the adaptive immune system will also further our understanding of viral infection in the context of the whole organism. Importantly, although the commonly used immunocompro- Editorial mised murine models provide a useful tool to study viral pathogenesis, immunocompetent models will be important for examination of the host immune response [1,17]. In addition to cell-type-specific differences, recent evidence suggests that there may be strain-specific differences in ISG induction between contemporary and historical ZIKV isolates in both primary human astrocytes and in mouse models of pathogenesis [2,18].…”

“…The structural proteins form the virion particle are the primary targets for the host humoral immune response [1,2]. The multifunctional nonstructural proteins have been implicated in polyprotein processing, viral RNA replication, virion assembly, as well as evasion of the innate immune response [1].…”