Sexual and Vertical Transmission of Zika Virus in anti-interferon receptor-treated Rag1-deficient mice.

ABSTRACT: Although Zika virus (ZIKV) is primarily transmitted to humans by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, human-to-human transmission has also been observed from males-to-females as well as mother-to-offspring. In the current study, we studied both sexual transmission (STx) and vertical transmission (VTx) of ZIKV using anti-IFNAR1-treatment of Rag1 ^-/- (AIR) mice. These mice have suppressed type I IFN responses and lack adaptive immune responses, leading to a prolonged infection prior to clinical disease. STx of ZIKV from infected AIR males to naive Ifnar1 ^-/- females was observed with greater than 50% incidence, with infection observed in the vaginal tract at early time points. In the case of a resulting pregnancy, virus was also found in the uterus and placental tissue. In addit

SUBMITTER: Winkler CW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5543051 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature