Zika virus (ZIKV) can spread from one person to another through a mosquito bite. This exposure does not cause any major issues for a healthy person. However, pregnant mothers infected with ZIKV are highly associated with delivering infants with a smaller head size due to fetal brain injury. ZIKV infects the placenta and causes placental injury, which results in virus spreading to the fetal circulation and eventually to the fetal brain. In the fetal brain, ZIKV causes severe harm and causes a decrease in fetal brain size at birth. A summary of recent advances in the pathogenesis of placenta and fetal brain damage from studies that used mouse models of ZIKV infection was reviewed. Further, we have discussed the role of cell death, inflammation, and immune-related responses with ZIKV infection. We also reviewed promising vaccine candidates against ZIKV infection, which showed placental and fetal brain protection in mouse models.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.