Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne member of the Flaviviridae family that historically has been associated with mild febrile illness. However, the recent outbreaks in Brazil in 2015 and its rapid spread throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean, together with its association with severe neurological disorders—including fetal microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults—have changed the historic perspective of ZIKV. Currently, ZIKV is considered an important public health concern that has the potential to affect millions of people worldwide. The significance of ZIKV in human health and the lack of approved vaccines and/or antiviral drugs to combat ZIKV infection have triggered a global effort to develop effective countermeasures to prevent and/or treat ZIKV infection. In this Special Issue of Viruses, we have assembled a collection of 32 research and review articles that cover the more recent advances on ZIKV molecular biology, replication and transmission, virus–host interactions, pathogenesis, epidemiology, vaccine development, antivirals, and viral diagnosis.
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microRNAs antivirals reverse genetics nucleic acid computation viral pathogenesis plaque reduction neutralization test clinical trials viral genetic variation viral fitness pregnancy type I IFN antagonist prM-E proteins eye replicon antiviral responses Bacterial artificial chromosome gene expression NS1 protein viral permissiveness ZIKV–host interactions reporter virus viral persistence blood-retinal barrier virus like particles emerging arbovirus Non-human primates heme-oxygenase 1 mosquito surveillance antiviral compounds ZIKV-associated neurologic disorders external quality assessment outbreak control therapeutics cryptic promoter silencing testis neurons mutagenesis RNA-seq microsphere immunoassay host-directed antivirals molecular diagnostics Bayesian analyses astrocytomas Full-length cDNA infectious clones viral pathogenicity neural progenitor cells full-length molecular clone antiviral multiplex nucleic acid detection Asian-lineage nucleic acid strand exchange IgA African-lineage vaccines Zika research models and tools immune response IgG avidity tests polymerase chain reaction Asian lineage sexual transmission TLR7/8 neuropathogenesis cross-reactions genetic variability mosquito ZIKV infectious cDNA prostate host genetic variation monoclonal antibodies optimised anti-viral immunity QCMD arbovirus FSS13025 MR766 NS5 EQA testicular cells virus attachment flavivirus mosquito-borne flavivirus dsRNA boolean logic-processing nucleic acid probes Ziks virus viral replication Aedes aegypti infection natural history infectious RNA zika virus chimeric viruses subgenomic replicon replication human brain glial cells microglia cells hepatocytes bacterial artificial chromosome detoxification and immune system responses testes dengue viruses Zika virus insecticide resistance NS2A protein plasmid toxicity cell surface receptors serology viral evolution laboratory preparedness flaviviruses Tet-inducible dengue virus diagnosis assay standardization infectious clone ELISA innate response congenital Zika syndrome secondary infections apoptosis viral survival ocular validated rhesus macaques neuroinflammation placenta cells NHP Zika virus (ZIKV) point-of-care diagnostics isothermal nucleic acid amplification microcephaly cytopathic effects indirect immunofluorescence fetal infection therapy siRNA viral counteraction neural cells silvestrol eIF4A