Replication of early and recent Zika virus isolates throughout mouse brain development

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been associated with multiple pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS) including microcephaly, Guillain-Barré syndrome, lissencephaly, the loss of white and gray matter volume and acute myelitis. Using organotypic brain slice cultures, we determined that ZIKV replicates across different embryonic developmental stages, and viral infection can disrupt proper brain development leading to congenital CNS complications. These data illustrate that all lineages of ZIKV tested are neurotropic, and that infection may disrupt neuronal migration during brain development. The results expand our understanding of neuropathologies associated with congenital Zika virus syndrome.