title: Zika crisis in Brazil: challenges in research and development.
abstract: Infection with the Zika virus (ZIKV) usually causes a mild acute illness, but two major severe syndromes have been described during the epidemic in Brazil: microcephaly and the Guillain-Barré Syndrome. There is now much evidence to show that ZIKV can infect and damage neuronal cells in vitro. In experimental animals, ZIKV has significant neurotropism and can cause brain damage. At present, diagnosis is still a challenge in the field and there is no treatment available. Another major challenge is that one must devise therapies for pregnant women, at all stages of pregnancy. Devising adequate treatment for ZIKV infections represents a challenge that will only be met by the joint effort of the research community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Immunopharmacology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas Secchim
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Immunopharmacology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael Elias
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Molecular and Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Hospital Universitário, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil.
authors.forename: Amélia Maria Ribeiro de
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jesus
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia Molecular and Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Hospital Universitário, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Aracaju, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roque Pacheco de
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: Immunopharmacology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Electronic address: mmtex@icb.ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Mauro Martins
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D020275:Guillain-Barre Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D051379:Mice; D008831:Microcephaly / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011323:Primates; D000071244:Zika Virus / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D000071243:Zika Virus Infection / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology