Inapparent maternal ZIKV infection impacts fetal brain development and postnatal behavior.

ABSTRACT: Zika virus (ZIKV) has emerged as a significant public health concern due to its association with severe neurological outcomes in infants, including microcephaly and congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). However, while the majority of ZIKV infections during pregnancy do not result in CZS, the potential long-term neurological effects of mild or inapparent maternal infections remain poorly understood. In this study, we adapted a model of maternal ZIKV infection in human STAT2 knock-in (hSTAT2) mice to investigate the effects of ZIKV infection during mid-gestation, aiming to mirror typical asymptomatic infections as they occur in humans. We found that maternal ZIKV infection at mid-gestation leads to vertical transmission without causing overt developmental deficits or clinical signs in dams or offs

SUBMITTER: Chou TW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12822987 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature