Researchers created an evolutionary model to better understand the development, spread and biological effects of the Zika virus. The research was recently published in Pathogens and Global Health.
For the study, the research team conducted an evolutionary analysis of Zika, shared ancestry modeling and an examination of T- and B-cells mutations to assess how immune system responses cause the virus to react and change.
Here are five things to know about the evolution of Zika.
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1. Zika was first detected in Uganda in 1947. It is the newest discovery among a group of mosquito-transmitted viruses known as flaviviruses.
2. Analysis identified two distinct genotypes of the virus, African and Asiatic.
3. The genotype responsible for the recent outbreak in the Western Hemisphere, which originated in Brazil, was determined to be Asiatic in origin, lending support to the hypothesis that Zika was introduced to Brazil during the Va'a World Sprint Canoeing Championship in Rio de Janeiro in 2014, which included a team from French Polynesia.
4. From October 2013 to May 2014, Tahiti — the largest island in French Polynesia — experienced an outbreak of Zika that sent 10 percent of the population to physicians and hospitals for treatment, according to STAT.
5. Analysis also revealed the way Zika alters its surface proteins to evade the host's immune response. Preexisting immunity spurred by cross-reactions with other viruses plays an important role in Zika's evolution. The cross-reactions also make diagnosis of Zika unreliable, which may contribute to the virus' proliferation.
"Understanding the differences and similarities between Zika and other flaviviruses, such as the dengue fever and chikungunya viruses, is essential if effective drugs, vaccines and Zika-specific immunological tests for large population screening are to be designed," said the authors.
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