West Lafayette, US 2nd April 2016: The structure of Zika virus is finally observed in the Purdue University, US. A researcher from the university has studied the developmental state of Zika Virus from an infected patient which was found from the French Polynesia epidemic. The resulted structure of the virus has the positive and effective antiviral treatment or vaccines for the disease.
The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne disease and is infecting more than 33 countries all over the world.
In the lab research of Purdue University, the isolated strain of Zika shows vital differences in the key protein. That is the main cause for the virus can attack directly on the nerve cells, which such abilities is not seen from any other viruses.
The researcher Mr. Richard Kuhn have said that the structure of the virus has unmasked the vital region, which helps to distinguish among other viruses. The vital region can be used for the treatment of the infected patients. Also, the vital region will be the diagnosis or target to encounter the virus using effective vaccines.
In the journal Science study, the online publisher has also said that the structure of Zika is as same as that of flaviviruses which are the major caused for dengue, West Nile, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis viruses. And they are similar in the RNA genome that is surrounded by a lipid and the internal membrane are covered icosahedral protein shell. But both the viruses differ as Zika can invade direct into the nervous system or the developing foetus.
Yet, according to the professor Michael Rossmann, Purdue University; the virus is still not clearly known but further research will be done to fight the infection. The infections are mostly seen during birth like microcephaly which develops brain damage with abnormal small head in babies born from infected mothers during pregnancy. And another disease like Guillain-Barre syndrome leading to temporary paralysis.
