(Shutterstock)People with antibodies against dengue are less likely to become infected with the Zika virus, according to research from Brazil that some virologists speculate could help explain India’s low prevalence of Zika. A study examining immunity patterns of a community of people in Brazil over a three-year period and released on February 7 has suggested that the greater a person’s immunity to the dengue virus, the lower the risk of Zika infection. Genetic similarities between dengue and Zika viruses have prompted scientists to speculate about cross-reactivity between the two infections. The Zika virus typically causes mild fever, skin rash or conjunctivitis. But studies in several countries have shown that the foetuses of pregnant women infected with Zika virus are at risk of microcephaly, a disorder marked by abnormal brain growth.

Source: The Telegraph February 17, 2019 21:33 UTC