Zika-related viruses could also lead to fetal demise

In a study published in Science Translational Medicine, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and colleagues found that two Zika-related viruses infected human placental explants and led to fetal demise in mice, suggesting that other neurotropic flaviviruses could also cause congenital infections via placental transmission. The study also showed that a humanized mAb against one of the viruses could protect the developing fetus from infection and demise.

In the study, the researchers evaluated the capacity of two Zika-related neurotropic flaviviruses -- West Nile virus and Powassan virus -- and two alphaviruses -- Chikungunya virus and Mayaro virus -- to infect the placenta and fetus in immunocompetent pregnant mice. All four viruses caused placental infection; however, no fetal demise occurred in alphavirus-infected mice compared with about 50% of flavivirus-infected mice that died in utero...