[Animal experiment]-Zika virus infection during pregnancy is expected to be cured

  Zika virus infection occurred in South America and spread to the world. Compared with previous mild diseases, the 2015 outbreak in the Americas is particularly worrying. When the Zika virus broke out in Brazil, babies with large and small head diseases suddenly appeared. Most of the mothers of these babies were infected with deer. virus. Previous mouse-related studies by Xu Zhiheng's research group at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have confirmed for the first time that the double virus is indeed the direct cause of microcranial malformations. The general concern is that most infections

  People with decavirus have mild symptoms, and infection with dicavirus can cause microcephaly in newborns. Currently, there is no effective method or vaccine available for double virus infection. Therefore, how to prevent and treat full infections in pregnant women is particularly important.

  Xu Zhiheng’s research team cooperated with Qin Chengfeng’s team from the Academy of Military Sciences and other departments to conduct drug screening and related research. Finally, Xu Zhiheng's research team found that serum with high neutralizing antibody titers for Zika patients can be prevented and treated. This virus infects the brain of the fetus and prevents the development of microcephaly. The brains of fetal mice were infected with the double virus by intracranial injection, and the patient's convalescent serum was injected after infection. Xu Zhiheng's research team found that serum neutralizing antibodies during the recovery period can effectively inhibit the replication of the double virus in vitro. It crosses the placenta and blood-brain barrier in the body, greatly reducing the number of viruses in the fetal brain and protecting the fetus. Therefore, studies on mouse models have shown that it is possible to cure the double virus during pregnancy. This study provides very important clues for the treatment of double virus infection.