New insights into Zika’s biology

Abstract

Two separate research groups report discoveries about the notorious Zika virus currently spreading rapidly through the Americas. One announces the first glimpse at the virus’s structure, and the other identifies a possible receptor hijacked by Zika to gain entry into developing fetal brain cells. In February, the World Health Organization declared the Zika epidemic “a public health emergency.” Spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, Zika virus causes symptoms that are generally mild, and the illness can typically be overcome by bed rest. Global concern about the Zika epidemic stems from the virus’s suspected impact on developing fetuses. In Brazil, where over 1.5 million people have been infected with Zika since February last year, there has been an unusual spike in babies born with abnormally small brains, a condition called microcephaly. Researchers have been racing to figure out if and how Zika might eke out so much damage to a developing fetal