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The mosquito-borne Zika virus that recently spread rapidly throughout the Americas shares many characteristics with another virus: dengue. Both are flaviviruses, which are enveloped, sphere-shape virions that are typically transmitted by mosquitos and ticks. Due to their structural similarities and because the latest Zika outbreak appeared in dengue-endemic regions, scientists have been investigating whether antibodies against one might be able to react to the other—and whether these interactions could either worsen or buffer against infections.
Researchers had previously demonstrated a phenomenon known as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE)—where, at certain concentrations, antibodies against one virus can heighten the effects of another—between different types of dengue viruses. This suggested that antibodies against other flaviviruses might possess similar features. “When the recent Zika outbreak occurred, one of the major questions scientists had was whether or not the enhancement effect could also impact Zika infections,” says Jean Lim, a virologist at ...
