This site needs JavaScript to work properly. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features!
Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

NIH NLM Logo
Log in
Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2017 Feb 14;18(7):1751-1760.
doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017年01月05日6.

Frequent Zika Virus Sexual Transmission and Prolonged Viral RNA Shedding in an Immunodeficient Mouse Model

Affiliations

Frequent Zika Virus Sexual Transmission and Prolonged Viral RNA Shedding in an Immunodeficient Mouse Model

Nisha K Duggal et al. Cell Rep. .

Abstract

Circulation of Zika virus (ZIKV) was first identified in the Western hemisphere in late 2014. Primarily transmitted through mosquito bite, ZIKV can also be transmitted through sex and from mother to fetus, and maternal ZIKV infection has been associated with fetal malformations. We assessed immunodeficient AG129 mice for their capacity to shed ZIKV in semen and to infect female mice via sexual transmission. Infectious virus was detected in semen between 7 and 21 days post-inoculation, and ZIKV RNA was detected in semen through 58 days post-inoculation. During mating, 73% of infected males transmitted ZIKV to uninfected females, and 50% of females became infected, with evidence of fetal infection in resulting pregnancies. Semen from vasectomized mice contained significantly lower levels of infectious virus, though sexual transmission still occurred. This model provides a platform for studying the kinetics of ZIKV sexual transmission and prolonged RNA shedding also observed in human semen.

Keywords: Zika virus; animal model; mouse model; pregnancy; semen; sexual transmission; vasectomy.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Experimental Design
(A) Fourteen 18-week-old (wko) male AG129 mice were inoculated i.p. and mated to female CD-1 mice daily to collect seminal fluids until the male mice were euthanized due to disease progression. (B) Eleven 13-week-old male AG129 mice were inoculated i.p., mated to female AG129 mice for sexual transmission studies, and then mated to female CD-1 mice daily to collect seminal fluids until the male mice were euthanized. (C) Eight 18-week-old AG129 male mice were vasectomized before intraperitoneal inoculation and then mated to female CD-1 and AG129 mice to collect seminal fluids and assess sexual transmission until the male mice were euthanized. (D) Eighteen 8-week-old male AG129 mice were inoculated i.p. and euthanized in groups of three at prescribed days 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 post-inoculation. (E) Eight 13-week-old female AG129 mice were inoculated i.p. and mated to male AG129 mice for sexual transmission studies.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Pathogenesis of ZIKV Strain PRVABC59 in AG129 Mice
(A) Average weight of mice post-inoculation, represented as a percentage of initial weight. Gray circles represent 13-week-old mice (n = 11), red circles represent 18-week-old mice (n = 14), and black circles represent vasectomized 18-week-old mice (n = 8). Error bars represent SD. (B) Percent survival of mice post-inoculation. Gray line represents 13-week-old mice, red line represents 18-week-old mice, and black line represents vasectomized 18-week-old mice.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Infectious ZIKV in Male AG129 Mice
Titers of samples from individual mice are represented by circles, with means represented by solid lines. The limit of detection (1.7 log10 PFU/mL or PFU/g) is represented by a gray line. (A) ZIKV titer in serum of 8-week-old mice (n = 15). (B) ZIKV titer in testes/epididymides of 8-week-old mice (n = 15). (C) ZIKV titer in seminal vesicles of 8-week-old mice (n = 15). (D) ZIKV titer in tissues collected from 18-week-old mice (n = 14), 13-week-old mice (n = 11), and vasectomized mice (n = 8) between days 12 and 59 post-inoculation. ***p < 0.001. (E) Inflammation and immunohistochemical localization of ZIKV in AG129 testis and epididymis. Top left: severe interstitial and seminiferous tubule inflammation with germ cell degeneration and sloughing on day 11; H&E, ×ばつ. Bottom left: immunohistochemical localization of ZIKV in spermatogenic precursors in an inflamed region of testis on day 11; ×ばつ. Top middle: interstitial inflammation and epididymal tubular dilation by cellular debris (sloughed germ cells) on day 11; H&E, ×ばつ. Bottom middle: immunohistochemical localization of ZIKV in epididymal tubular epithelia and luminal cell debris on day 11; ×ばつ. Top right: lack of inflammatory and degenerative changes in uninfected testis; H&E, ×ばつ. Bottom right: lack of immunohistochemical staining in uninfected testis; ×ばつ. Far right, top: lack of inflammation and tubular dilation in uninfected epididymis; H&E, ×ばつ. Far right, bottom: lack of immunohistochemical staining in uninfected epididymis; ×ばつ.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Shedding of ZIKV Infectious Virus and Viral RNA in Seminal Fluids of Male AG129 Mice
Measurements of individual mating events (n = 217) occurring on days 1 through 58 post-inoculation are represented by circles. Light circles are samples from 13-week-old mice (n = 33), and dark circles are samples from 18-week-old mice (n = 116) or vasectomized 18-week-old mice (n = 68). Dashed lines represent mean values across all mice and are used to make trends more visible. (A) Non-vasectomized males. Left panel: ZIKV titer in seminal fluids per ejaculation post-inoculation. Middle panel: ZIKV RNA copy number in seminal fluids per ejaculation post-inoculation. Right panel: percentage of ejaculates obtained from mated CD-1 females containing ZIKV or viral RNA as a function of time post-male inoculation. (B) Vasectomized males. Left panel: ZIKV titer in seminal fluids per ejaculation post-inoculation. Middle panel: ZIKV RNA copy number in seminal fluids per ejaculation post-inoculation. Right panel: percentage of ejaculates obtained from mated CD-1 females containing ZIKV or viral RNA as a function of time post-male inoculation. (C) Ratio of ZIKV RNA copy number to ZIKV titer in individual ejaculations over time.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Male-to-Female ZIKV Sexual Transmission
(A) Average weight of pregnant female mice (left panel; n = 13), non-pregnant female mice post-mating (middle panel; n = 13), and female mice mated to vasectomized males (right panel; n = 9) represented as a percentage of initial weight. Error bars represent SD. (B) Left panel: percent survival of infected pregnant female mice, infected non-pregnant female mice, and infected female mice mated to vasectomized males post-mating. Middle panel: percent survival of females mated to vasectomized (dark line) or non-vasectomized (light line) males. Right panel: percent of mated females that became infected on each day post-inoculation of male partner. Gray bars represent females mated to non-vasectomized males, and dark bars represent females mated to vasectomized males. Circles represent the days of survival post-mating of individual infected female mice. (C) Left panel: ZIKV titer in serum, brain tissue, uterus, vaginal wash, placenta, and fetus of sexually infected females collected on days 10–21 post-inoculation (n = 13). Gray circles represent non-pregnant infected females (n = 6), and red circles represent pregnant infected females (n = 7). Right panel: virus isolated from intravaginally inoculated pregnant (n = 5) and non-pregnant (n = 9) female mice. Titers are log10 PFU/g for brain and uterus tissue and log10 PFU/mL for serum and vaginal washes. The limit of detection (1.7 log10 PFU/mL or PFU/g) is represented by a dashed line. Individual mice are represented by circles, with means represented by lines. ***p < 0.001.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Female-to-Male ZIKV Sexual Transmission
(A) Average weight of female mice (n = 8) post-inoculation and average weight of male AG129 mice (n = 6) post-mating, represented as a percentage of initial weight. Error bars represent SD. (B) Percent survival of female mice post-inoculation and percent survival of male mice post-mating.

References

    1. Adams Waldorf KM, Stencel-Baerenwald JE, Kapur RP, Studholme C, Boldenow E, Vornhagen J, Baldessari A, Dighe MK, Thiel J, Merillat S, et al. Fetal brain lesions after subcutaneous inoculation of Zika virus in a pregnant nonhuman primate. Nat. Med. 2016;22:1256–1259. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Arsuaga M, Bujalance SG, Díaz-Menéndez M, Vázquez A, Arribas JR. Probable sexual transmission of Zika virus from a vasectomised man. Lancet Infect. Dis. 2016;16:1107. - PubMed
    1. Barzon L, Pacenti M, Franchin E, Lavezzo E, Trevisan M, Sgarabotto D, Palu G. Infection dynamics in a traveller with persistent shedding of Zika virus RNA in semen for six months after returning from Haiti to Italy, January 2016. Euro Surveill. 2016;21:30316. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Brault AC, Langevin SA, Bowen RA, Panella NA, Biggerstaff BJ, Miller BR, Komar N. Differential virulence of West Nile strains for American crows. Emerg. Infect. Dis. 2004;10:2161–2168. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Brooks RB, Carlos MP, Myers RA, White MG, Bobo-Lenoci T, Aplan D, Blythe D, Feldman KA. Likely sexual transmission of Zika virus from a man with no symptoms of infection – Maryland, 2016. MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 2016;65:915–916. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources

Full text links
Elsevier Science full text link Elsevier Science Free PMC article
Cite

AltStyle によって変換されたページ (->オリジナル) /