Biology subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Connor R Buechler.
The recent spread of Zika virus (ZIKV) is alarming due to its association with birth defects. Though the natural reservoir of ZIKV remains poorly defined, the virus was first described in a captive \"sentinel\" macaque in Africa. Here, we examined blood from 239 wild African monkeys and found variable seropositivity.
Zika virus (ZIKV) isolates are genetically diverse, but belong to two recognized lineages, termed \"African\" and \"Asian.\" Asian ZIKV infection during pregnancy causes fetal abnormalities including microcephaly. Developing an effective preventative Zika virus vaccine that protects pregnant women is essential for minimizing fetal abnormalities; at least 18 groups are developing ZIKV vaccines (Hayden, 2016). The genetic and antigenic variability of many RNA viruses limits the effectiveness of vaccines, and the degree to which immunity against one ZIKV strain could provide protection against another is unknown. Here we show that rhesus macaques infected with East African ZIKV strain MR766 are completely protected from subsequent infection with heterologous Asian ZIKV. MR766 is more genetically divergent from all known Asian ZIKV strains than Asian ZIKV strains are from one another. Therefore, ZIKV strain selection is unlikely to compromise vaccine effectiveness.\n\nHighlightsO_LIAfrican Zika virus (ZIKV) strain MR766 productively infects macaques (68 characters)\nC_LIO_LIImmunity elicited by MR766 protects macaques against heterologous Asian ZIKV (77 characters)\nC_LIO_LIIn vivo restoration of a putative N-linked glycosylation site in MR766 (70 characters)\nC_LIO_LIImmunogen selection is unlikely to adversely affect the breadth of vaccine protection (85 characters)\nC_LI\n\neTOCAn effective Zika virus vaccine is needed to prevent infection-associated fetal abnormalities. Macaques whose immune responses are primed by infection with East African ZIKV are completely protected from reinfection with heterologous Asian ZIKV. Any Asian ZIKV immunogen that protects against homologous challenge will likely confer protection against all other Asian ZIKV strains.