Previous exposure to mosquito-borne virus, dengue, may amplify the potency of Zika infection warn scientists in the journal Nature Immunology. The study is based on a large international survey that included more than 10,000 people from 17 countries. "This may be why the current [Zika] outbreak has been so severe, and why it has been in areas where dengue is prevalent," says Professor Gavin Screaton at Britain's Imperial College. Dengue infections have rocketed in recent decades, resulting in around 390m infections per annum globally; 40% of the world's population lives in areas at risk from the virus, including Brazil where the health ministry has reported a surge in cases this year.
Previous exposure to mosquito-borne virus, dengue, may amplify the potency of Zika infection warn scientists in the journal Nature Immunology. Some dengue antibodies can recognise and bind to Zika due to the similarities between the two viruses, but these antibodies may also exacerbate Zika infection in what is called antibody-dependent enhancement. "This may be why the current [Zika] outbreak has been so severe, and why it has been in areas where dengue is prevalent," says Professor Gavin Screaton at Britain's Imperial College. Dengue infections have rocketed in recent decades, resulting in around 390m infections per annum globally; 40% of the world's population lives in areas at risk from the virus, including Brazil where the health ministry has reported a surge in cases this year.