Zika virus in the eye of the cytokine storm

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus that causes a mosquito-borne disease. Although infection with ZIKV generally leads to mild disease, its recent emergence in the Americas has been associated with an increase in the development of the Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults, as well as with neurological complications, in particular congenital microcephaly, in new-borns. Over the five past years, through the combined efforts of the scientific community, comprehensive remarkable progress aimed at deciphering the clinical, virological, physiopathological, and immunological features of ZIKV infection. This review highlights some of the most recent advances in our understanding of the role of cytokines and chemokines in ZIKV infection, and discusses potential links to pathogenesis.

Keywords: Chemokines; Cytokines; Flavivirus; Guillain-Barré syndrome; Microcephaly; Zika virus.