Zika virus stifles pregnant women's weakened immune system to harm baby, USC study finds

(University of Southern California) The Zika virus suppresses a pregnant woman's immune system, enabling the virus to spread and increasing the chances an unborn baby will be harmed, study finds. The study is the first to report that the Zika virus targets specific white blood cells, handicapping a pregnant woman's immune system in a way that almost resembles HIV. Pregnant women are more prone to immune suppression. Zika exploits that weakness to infect and replicate.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news