In vitro study helps explain how Zika virus passes from mother to fetus during pregnancy

(University of South Florida (USF Health)) A preclinical study by a University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine team has discovered a new mechanism for how Zika virus can pass from mothers to their children during pregnancy - a process known as vertical transmission. The researchers showed, for the first time, that specialized maternal cells lining the uterus (decidual cells) act as reservoirs for trimester-dependent transmission of the virus through the placenta.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news