Key Cell-Surface Receptor May Be Gateway for Zika Virus Infection in Utero according to : Contagion Live

The common belief is that all flaviviruses have similar structures, but our findings suggest that Zika virus may have a different average population structure than others. We don't yet understand why Zika virus uses AXL and the others don't. Indeed, cells in the study had Zika viral counts up to 1,000-times higher than those of Dengue or West Nile. Unlike Dengue and West Nile, the authors theorize that Zika exposes sufficient cell membrane to bind to Gas6 and, ultimately AXL. The intermediate molecule also binds to AXL, effectively connecting the virus with the receptor tyrosine kinase, which allows it to enter host cells.




Human dendritic cells were found to be susceptible to infection by contemporary as well as historical forms of the Zika virus. Although it is known that Zika inhibits interferon signaling, the researchers discovered that when dendritic cells were treated with retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) agonists, the cells were able to obstruct viral replication. Researchers from Emory University believe that they've identified a therapy target to boost human immunity against infection with the Zika virus.In late July of last year, the first four in a string of cases of locally-acquired Zika virus infections were identified to be residents of Miami-Dade County, Florida . Four months later, Texas claimed the title of second US state with local Zika transmission. To stay informed on the latest in infectious disease news and developments, pleasefor our weekly newsletter.

New Zika Virus Assay Now CE Marked in Europe

Industry News: New Zika Virus Assay Now CE Marked in EuropeHologic, Inc. have announced the Company's Aptima® Zika Virus diagnostic assay is now CE marked in Europe for the detection and diagnosis of the Zika virus in patients at risk of exposure to Zika or with signs and symptoms of the virus. "The development of the Aptima® Zika Virus assay and its launch in Europe is a reflection of how we live up to this commitment. The Aptima® Zika Virus assay is a molecular diagnostic test that identifies the presence of Zika RNA in human serum, plasma and urine specimens, that can be used up to 14 days following the onset of symptoms. While the number of cases of the Zika virus in Europe is currently low, our new, highly sensitive assay will help ensure accurate diagnoses and reduce subsequent risk of infection." The Aptima® Zika Virus assay is the latest Hologic test designed to run on the Company's Panther® system, a market-leading, integrated platform that fully automates all aspects of nucleic acid amplification testing.



collected by :Lucy William
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