Zika virus (ZIKV) is an RNA virus transmitted by mosquitoes that has emerged in recent years as a considerable threat to public health. While the existence of ZIKV has been known for more than sixty years, until recently, this virus was not a source of significant human disease. The first significant outbreak of ZIKV occurred in Yap Island (Micronesia) in 2007, resulting in roughly three-quarters of the population becoming infected, and thereafter on other Pacific Islands prior to its introduction into South America in 2014. More than 40 countries in the Western Hemisphere have now reported locally acquired infections, including the United States of America. ZIKV-associated illness was described as a self-limiting mild illness characterized by rash, fever, conjunctivitis, arthralgia, and arthritis. More recent ZIKV outbreaks have been associated with neurological complications, including Guillain-Barr syndrome in adults, and devastating neurodevelopmental defects in infants of women infected while pregnant, including microcephaly. There is an urgent need for interventions to reduce ZIKV transmission and disease. Our laboratory will seek a fundamental understanding of the antibody response to ZIKV and apply these insights into the development of ZIKV vaccines (collaboratively with other NIAID laboratories) and novel diagnostic approaches.
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