scholarly journals Epididymal epithelium propels early sexual transmission of Zika virus in the absence of interferon signaling

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander G. Pletnev ◽  
Olga A. Maximova ◽  
Guangping Liu ◽  
Heather Kenney ◽  
Bianca M. Nagata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Equal Opportunity ◽  
Vas Deferens ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Interferon Signaling ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Antiviral Responses ◽  
Productive Phase ◽  
Male To Female ◽  
Different Parts

AbstractRecognition of Zika virus (ZIKV) sexual transmission (ST) among humans challenges our understanding of the maintenance of mosquito-borne viruses in nature. Here we dissected the relative contributions of the components of male reproductive system (MRS) during early male-to-female ZIKV transmission by utilizing mice with altered antiviral responses, in which ZIKV is provided an equal opportunity to be seeded in the MRS tissues. Using microRNA-targeted ZIKV clones engineered to abolish viral infectivity to different parts of the MRS or a library of ZIKV genomes with unique molecular identifiers, we pinpoint epithelial cells of the epididymis (rather than cells of the testis, vas deferens, prostate, or seminal vesicles) as a most likely source of the sexually transmitted ZIKV genomes during the early (most productive) phase of ZIKV shedding into the semen. Incorporation of this mechanistic knowledge into the development of a live-attenuated ZIKV vaccine restricts its ST potential.

scholarly journals From Mosquito Bites to Sexual Transmission: Evaluating Mouse Models of Zika Virus Infection

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2244
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Balint ◽  
Amelia Montemarano ◽  
Emily Feng ◽  
Ali A. Ashkar
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Models ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Reproductive Tract ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Male To Female

Following the recent outbreak of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections in Latin America, ZIKV has emerged as a global health threat due to its ability to induce neurological disease in both adults and the developing fetus. ZIKV is largely mosquito-borne and is now endemic in many parts of Africa, Asia, and South America. However, several reports have demonstrated persistent ZIKV infection of the male reproductive tract and evidence of male-to-female sexual transmission of ZIKV. Sexual transmission may broaden the reach of ZIKV infections beyond its current geographical limits, presenting a significant threat worldwide. Several mouse models of ZIKV infection have been developed to investigate ZIKV pathogenesis and develop effective vaccines and therapeutics. However, the majority of these models focus on mosquito-borne infection, while few have considered the impact of sexual transmission on immunity and pathogenesis. This review will examine the advantages and disadvantages of current models of mosquito-borne and sexually transmitted ZIKV and provide recommendations for the effective use of ZIKV mouse models.

scholarly journals Apoptosis During ZIKA Virus Infection: Too Soon or Too Late?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Turpin ◽  
Daed El Safadi ◽  
Grégorie Lebeau ◽  
Morgane Krejbich ◽  
Camille Chatelain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Cellular Response ◽  
Defense Mechanism ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Interferon Response ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Antiviral Responses ◽  
Viral Determinants

Cell death by apoptosis is a major cellular response, in the control of tissue homeostasis and as a defense mechanism in case of cellular aggression like an infection. Cell self-destruction is part of antiviral responses, aimed at limiting the spread of a virus. Although it may contribute to the deleterious effects in infectious pathology, apoptosis remains a key mechanism for viral clearance and resolution of infection. The control mechanisms of cell death processes by viruses have been extensively studied. Apoptosis can be triggered by different viral determinants, through different pathways, as a result of virally induced cell stresses and innate immune responses. Zika virus (ZIKV) induces Zika disease in humans which has caused severe neurological forms, birth defects and microcephaly in newborns during the last epidemics. ZIKV also surprised by revealing an ability to persist in the genital tract and in semen, thus being sexually transmitted. Mechanisms of diverting antiviral responses such as the interferon response, the role of cytopathic effects and apoptosis in the etiology of the disease have been widely studied and debated. In this review, we examined the interplay between ZIKV infection of different cell types and apoptosis and how the virus deals with this cellular response. We illustrate a duality in the effects of ZIKV-controlled apoptosis, depending on whether it occurs too early or too late, respectively in neuropathogenesis, or in long-term viral persistence. We further discuss a prospective role for apoptosis in ZIKV-related therapies, and the use of ZIKV as an oncolytic agent.

scholarly journals Risk estimation of sexual transmission of Zika virus—United States, 2016–2017

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsea G Major ◽  
Gabriela Paz-Bailey ◽  
Susan L Hills ◽  
Dania M Rodriguez ◽  
Brad J Biggerstaff ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Disease Surveillance ◽  
Risk Estimation ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Anal Intercourse ◽  
Unprotected Sex ◽  
Anal Sex ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Male To Female

Abstract Background Zika virus (ZIKV) can be transmitted sexually, but the risk of sexual transmission remains unknown. Most evidence of sexual transmission is from partners of infected travelers returning from areas with ZIKV circulation. Methods We used data from the U.S. national arboviral disease surveillance system (ArboNET) on travel- and sexually-acquired ZIKV disease cases during 2016–2017 to develop individual-level simulations for estimating risk of male-to-female, male-to-male, and female-to-male sexual transmission of ZIKV via vaginal and/or anal intercourse. We specified parametric distributions to characterize individual-level variability of parameters for ZIKV persistence and sexual behaviors. Results Using ZIKV RNA persistence in semen/vaginal fluids to approximate infectiousness duration, male-to-male transmission had the highest estimated probability [1.3% (95% CI: 0.4–6.0) per anal sex act], followed by male-to-female and female-to-male transmission [0.4% (95% CI: 0.3–0.6) per vaginal/anal sex act and 0.1% (95% CI:0–0.8) per vaginal sex act, respectively]. Models using viral isolation in semen vs. RNA detection to approximate infectiousness duration predicted greater risk of sexual transmission. Conclusions While likely insufficient to maintain sustained transmission, the estimated risk of ZIKV transmission through unprotected sex is not trivial and is especially important for pregnant women, as ZIKV infection can cause severe congenital disorders.

A MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS OF ZIKA VIRUS EPIDEMIC IN RIO DE JANEIRO AS A VECTOR-BORNE AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (01) ◽  
pp. 83-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
GUSTAVO CRUZ-PACHECO ◽  
LOURDES ESTEVA ◽  
CLAUDIA PIO FERREIRA
Keyword(s):  
Basic Reproduction Number ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Transmission Rate ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Transmitted Disease ◽  
Infectious Period ◽  
Sexually Transmitted

In this work we formulate a mathematical model to assess the importance of sexual transmission during the Zika virus outbreak that occurred in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 2015. To this end, we deduce from the model an analytical expression of the basic reproduction number of Zika, [Formula: see text], in terms of the vectorial and sexual transmissions, and we use the estimations given in Ref. 1 [Villela DAM, Bastos LS, de Carvalho LM, Cruz OG, Gomes MFC, Durovni B, Lemos MC, Saraceni V, Coelho FC, Codeço CT, Zika in Rio de Janeiro: Assessment of basic reproduction number and comparison with dengue outbreaks, Epidemiol Infect 145(8):1649–1657, 2017] for the [Formula: see text] values of Zika virus and dengue virus epidemics in Rio de Janeiro to evaluate the contribution of sexual transmission of Zika virus. According to the obtained results, sexual transmission (pure plus mediated by vector transmission) contributes from 23% to 46% for the [Formula: see text] increment. Also, an asymmetric sexual transmission between men and women can explain the fact that the incidence of Zika virus in women was 60% higher than in man during the 2015 epidemics. We also carry out a sensitivity analysis using [Formula: see text] as the output parameter. The results of this analysis have shown that the transmission rate between human and mosquito populations, the mosquito mortality rate, and the human infectious period are the parameters that contribute more to the [Formula: see text] variation, highlighting the importance of vector control to halt disease transmission.

scholarly journals Male-to-Female Sexual Transmission of Zika Virus—United States, January–April 2016

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Russell ◽  
Susan L. Hills ◽  
Alexandra M. Oster ◽  
Charsey Cole Porse ◽  
Gregory Danyluk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Male To Female

scholarly journals Sexual Transmission of Arboviruses: A Systematic Review

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 933
Author(s):  
Bradley J. Blitvich ◽  
Tereza Magalhaes ◽  
S. Viridiana Laredo-Tiscareño ◽  
Brian D. Foy
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Current Understanding ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever Virus ◽  
Vertebrate Hosts ◽  
Hematophagous Arthropods

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are primarily maintained in nature in transmission cycles between hematophagous arthropods and vertebrate hosts, but an increasing number of arboviruses have been isolated from or indirectly detected in the urogenital tract and sexual secretions of their vertebrate hosts, indicating that further investigation on the possibility of sexual transmission of these viruses is warranted. The most widely recognized sexually-transmitted arbovirus is Zika virus but other arboviruses, including Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus and dengue virus, might also be transmitted, albeit occasionally, by this route. This review summarizes our current understanding on the ability of arboviruses to be sexually transmitted. We discuss the sexual transmission of arboviruses between humans and between vertebrate animals, but not arthropod vectors. Every taxonomic group known to contain arboviruses (Asfarviridae, Bunyavirales, Flaviviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Reoviridae, Rhabdoviridae and Togaviridae) is covered.

scholarly journals Understanding the survival of Zika virus in a vector interconnected sexual contact network

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanvir Ferdousi ◽  
Lee W. Cohnstaedt ◽  
D. S. McVey ◽  
Caterina M. Scoglio
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Sexual Contact ◽  
Contact Network ◽  
Mosquito Vector ◽  
Mosquito Abundance ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Modes Of Transmission ◽  
Epidemic Size ◽  
Outbreak Size

ABSTRACTThe recent outbreaks of the insect-vectored Zika virus have demonstrated its potential to be sexually transmitted, which complicates modeling and our understanding of disease dynamics. Autochthonous outbreaks in the US mainland may be a consequence of both modes of transmission, which affect the outbreak size, duration, and virus persistence. We propose a novel individual-based interconnected network model that incorporates both insect-vectored and sexual transmission of this pathogen. This model interconnects a homogeneous mosquito vector population with a heterogeneous human host contact network. The model incorporates the seasonal variation of mosquito abundance and characterizes host dynamics based on age group and gender in order to produce realistic projections. We use a sexual contact network which is generated on the basis of real world sexual behavior data. Our findings suggest that for a high relative transmissibility of asymptomatic hosts, Zika virus shows a high probability of sustaining in the human population for up to 3 months without the presence of mosquito vectors. Zika outbreaks are strongly affected by the large proportion of asymptomatic individuals and their relative transmissibility. The outbreak size is also affected by the time of the year when the pathogen is introduced. Although sexual transmission has a relatively low contribution in determining the epidemic size, it plays a role in sustaining the epidemic and creating potential endemic scenarios.

Sexual transmission of Zika virus: a literature review

Sexual Health ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miranda Sherley ◽  
Chong-Wei Ong
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Yellow Fever ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Yellow Fever Virus ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Asymptomatic Infection ◽  
Virus Family ◽  
The World ◽  
Male To Female

Zika virus is an emerging health threat worldwide. A member of the yellow fever virus family, it is primarily spread by mosquitoes of the Aedes (Stegomyia) genus. Unusually for a mosquito-borne virus, sexual spread has also been reported; with cases of male-to-female, female-to-male and male-to-male sexual transmission all now published in the scientific literature, in both symptomatic and asymptomatic infection. Female-to-female sexual transmission has not yet been reported, but is biologically plausible. The extent of the effect of sexual transmission on the spread of Zika virus around the world is not well-characterised, but has particular relevance to travellers to and from non-endemic regions, and assisted reproduction services.

scholarly journals Sexual transmission of Zika virus in an entirely asymptomatic couple returning from a Zika epidemic area, France, April 2016

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Fréour ◽  
Sophie Mirallié ◽  
Bruno Hubert ◽  
Carole Splingart ◽  
Paul Barrière ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Health Consequences ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Epidemic Area ◽  
Male To Female

The current Zika virus outbreak and its potential severe health consequences, especially congenital fetal syndrome, have led to increased concern about sexual transmission, especially in pregnant women and women of reproductive age. Here we report a case of Zika virus sexual transmission, likely male-to-female, in a totally asymptomatic couple.

scholarly journals Sexual transmission of Zika virus in Germany, April 2016

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (23) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Frank ◽  
Daniel Cadar ◽  
Alexander Schlaphof ◽  
Neele Neddersen ◽  
Stephan Günther ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Dengue Fever ◽  
Male Patient ◽  
Birth Defects ◽  
Molecular Identification ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Neurological Disease ◽  
Sexual Transmission ◽  
Male To Female

Zika virus (ZIKV), an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus, causes a mild dengue fever-like illness but has recently been associated with neurological disease and severe birth defects. The virus is currently causing a large epidemic in the Americas. Here, we report a male-to-female sexual transmission of ZIKV in Germany in April 2016, following travel to Puerto Rico of the male patient, demonstrated by subsequent seroconversions and molecular identification of identical virus sequences from both patients.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document