Zika Virus Infection in Dexamethasone-immunosuppressed Mice Demonstrating Disseminated Infection with Multi-organ Involvement Including Orchitis Effectively Treated by Recombinant Type I Interferons

Chan, Jasper Fuk-Woo; Zhang, Anna Jinxia; Chan, Chris Chung-Sing; Yip, Cyril Chik-Yan; Mak, Winger Wing-Nga; Zhu, Houshun; Poon, Vincent Kwok-Man; Tee, Kah-Meng; Zhu, Zheng; Cai, Jian-Piao; Tsang, Jessica Oi-Ling; Chik, Kenn Ka-Heng; Yin, Feifei; Chan, Kwok-Hung; Kok, Kin-Hang; Jin, Dong-Yan; Au-Yeung, Rex Kwok-Him; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

The full spectrum of clinical manifestations and complications of ZIKV infection remains incompletely understood as of today. The previous assumption that ZIKV infection is an entirely self-limiting disease without severe or long-lasting sequelae has been overturned by the increasing recognition of congenital malformations, neurological complications, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, and even fatality in some immunosuppressed patients (Pan American Health Organization/ A B Fig. 3 . Viral loads in the blood and major organs of dexamethasone-immunosuppressed BALB/c male and female mice with ZIKV inoculation. Mice ((A) male (5 dpi, n = 3 from two independent experiments; 14 dpi, n = 6 from two independent experiments) and (B) female (5 dpi, n = 3 from two independent experiments; 14 dpi, n = 6 from two independent experiments)) with dexamethasone immunosuppression had higher blood and tissue viral loads at 5 dpi while they were on dexamethasone than at euthanasia (12 dpi for male mice and 14 dpi for female mice) after dexamethasone was stopped (10 dpi). ZIKV RNA copies in the blood and tissues of the mice were determined by real-time RT-PCR and normalized by β-actin as described in the text. * denotes P-values of b0.05. *** denotes P-values b0.001. Error bars represent standard error of the mean.