Maternal Zika virus infections in pregnancy have lasting effects on children’s immunity, even those born without apparent symptoms, shows a study published in eBioMedicine.
- Maternal Zika virus infections can reprogram fetal immune development, leading to long-term consequences for children’s immunity.
- Even children born without the physical characteristics of congenital Zika syndrome may have been affected by the virus with long-term immunological repercussions.
- Immune analysis of newborn and two-year-old children exposed to Zika virus during pregnancy revealed sustained chronic inflammation and altered responses to childhood vaccines.
- Changes in immune systems of affected children left them vulnerable to future infections, including diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, despite not showing physical or neurological symptoms of congenital Zika syndrome.
- The study challenges the current understanding of how Zika virus affects pregnancy, emphasizing the need for more research on the long-term effects of prenatal Zika infection to ensure appropriate care for affected children.
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Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Immunology