Varanasi: Researchers in the Molecular Biology Unit from the Institute of Medical University in Banaras Hindu University (IMS-BHU) have reported important findings in the pathogenesis of the Zika virus, which they claim, will help in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of the virus and in therapeutic development.
This study has been published in the International Journal ‘Molecular Neurobiology’.
Prof.
Sunit K.
Singh, Head of the Molecular Biology Unit and a famous molecular virology, said that most people with Zika virus infection did not experience symptoms.
“The incubation period of ZikV infection lasts for 2-7 days.
In 2015, a major zikv outbreak was reported in Brazil, North America, Pacific and Southeast Asia, infecting 1.5 million people and with more than 3,500 microscefali cases reported in infants.
In India , 157 ZikV positive cases were reported in 2018, “he explained.
At present, there is no definite antivirus against ZIKV and only the simtomatic treatment regime is followed.
Zika virus infection is also a trigger for Guillain-Barre syndrome, neuropathy and melitis, especially in adults and larger children.
The Zika virus vaccine is at various stages of current development.
The Zika virus can be transmitted from mothers to the fetus during pregnancy, which can cause microcephali (smaller than other heads) and other congenital malformations in infants, collectively referred to as the default Zika syndrome, while in adults, symptoms of mild fever.
, Headache, conjunctivitis, joint pain, and body rash.
Microcephaly leads to abnormal brain development.
Microcephali results may differ according to the level of brain damage.
According to him, the brain is surrounded by a barrier known as a blood-brain barrier (BBB), which separates the brain from the body’s peripheral blood circulation.
BBB is formed by the endothelial cells of the brain and these cells are put together by a protein named Protein intersection (TJS) and protein intersection of adherents (AJS).
If the expression of TJS and AJS protein is reduced, BBB is compromised and allows the movement of immune cells into the brain that causes damage to neurons.
ZikV infected cells issue viral proteins, NS1, which directly correlate with the severity of the disease in patients.
His studies reported that the treatment of Zika Protein Virus NS1 compromised with BBB integrity and this could cause microcephaly and other brain-related disorders in infants.
The research group reported that the NS1 Zika virus protein increased the expression of Microrna-101_3p in microvascular microvascular cells of the human brain, which in turn suppressed the intersection protein expression-strict and protein intersection of adherents and which led to compromise in BBB integrity.
“This finding will be very helpful in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of the Zika virus and in therapeutic development.
The diagnosis of Zika virus infection can be done with a blood, urine, and cement laboratory test,” Singh said.