For every infection, a reaction.

Written by: Antonio Gregorio Dias Junior, PhD. @GregorioDias1 (Twitter) Edited by: Layal Liverpool. @Layallivs (Twitter) Zika virus goes both ways. It can infect testes (1). It can infect the vagina (2). These observations are supported by epidemiological evidence in humans and research using experimental animal models (3–5). Importantly, these animal models are currently being further explored for the development and testing of vaccine candidates. The risk of sexual transmission and potential brain damage Zika virus is mainly transmitted by mosquitoes in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Increasing evidence also suggests the virus can spread from human-to-human through a new potential route: sexual transmission. This is because the virus has the ability to replicate in the reproductive organs of men and women. In the laboratory, scientists have discovered that Zika virus infection can lead to infertility in young male mice. These animals presented with smaller testes and re...

Author: Antonio Gregorio Dias Jr Edited by: Layal Liverpool and Inês Barreiros Originally published on the Science Innovation Union (Blog ). Looking at the burden of Zika virus in the Americas during its most recent outbreak, a vaccine is urgently needed. Above all, it must protect pregnant women and the developing foetus from the teratogenic effects that Zika virus infection can cause. To tackle this issue, scientists all over the world have been working on the development of vaccine candidates. More recently, advances in a live-attenuated vaccine have generated promising results in mice and tests in non-human primates are now well underway. A live-attenuated Zika virus vaccine As the name suggests, a live-attenuated vaccine means the generation and use of a “live” Zika virus particle with a lowered ability to infect and replicate within its host. This might sound strange and scary…, but has this been successful before? Yes! The Yellow Fever virus vaccine is a good example. It ...