Zika Virus Research Outpaces Commitments To Fund Such Efforts

Abstract

Despite prolonged wrangling over how and how much to fund U.S. research on the Zika virus, the research community is making considerable progress studying this pathogen, quickly confirming its capacity to interfere with fetal development. Beyond careful tracking of this flavivirus and extensive analyses of its structure and genome, recent research efforts focus on understanding its impact on infected individuals, particularly when pregnant, on developing diagnostic tests for the virus, and on vaccine development as well as control of the mosquitoes that spread this virus.