Mutations acquired trans-Pacific may be key to changes in Zika severity
Tuesday, December 13, 2016 - 15:01
in Biology & Nature
Though Zika has been known for 70 years, in many ways the virus is still poorly understood. A new phylogenetic and geographic analysis of Zika's collected genetic sequences provides the most complete study of the virus's history to date. The analysis reveals indications of a surprisingly complex global background including an under-recorded ancestry in Asia. Further, the analysis identifies specific mutations in the Pacific transit that suggest possible explanations for Zika's recent virulence.