Researchers uncover how Zika virus might cross the placental barrier

Researchers from the Scripps Research Institute (CA, USA) have uncovered a mechanism that allows Zika virus to cross the placental barrier and enter the fetal bloodstream, providing an insight into the unique ability of the virus to cause microcephaly and other congenital complications. Zika has caused international concern due to its ability to cause birth defects. This requires the virus to overcome a substantial obstacle; crossing the placental barrier. However, to date researchers have not been able to pinpoint how Zika crosses this barrier and why other closely related viruses cannot. In this study, published recently in the Proceedings of...