1. Fetal Growth Restriction Caused by Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus in Mice.
- Author
-
Uraki R, Jurado KA, Hwang J, Szigeti-Buck K, Horvath TL, Iwasaki A, and Fikrig E
- Subjects
- Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Female, Male, Mice, Pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral virology, Zika Virus Infection virology, Fetal Growth Retardation virology, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious virology, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral transmission, Zika Virus, Zika Virus Infection transmission
- Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) can be transmitted by mosquito bite or sexual contact. Using mice that lack the type I interferon receptor, we examined sexual transmission of ZIKV. Electron microscopy analyses showed association of virions with developing sperm within testes as well as with mature sperm within epididymis. When ZIKV-infected male mice were mated with naive female mice, the weight of fetuses at embryonic day 18.5 was significantly reduced compared with the control group. Additionally, we found ocular deformities in a minority of the fetuses. These results suggest that ZIKV causes fetal abnormalities after female mating with an infected male., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF