This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Zika therapy found to work during pregnancy
A treatment for Zika has shown promise in protecting babies in the womb from the harmful effects of the condition in the womb.
The research, published in the Nature journal, has shown success in mice who receive the antibody treatment, but tests are still required on pregnant women with Zika in order to create a therapy for humans.
The news comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Zika a worldwide emergency, after the virus was found to severely damage newborn babes’ brains.
The antibody therapy has been manufactured using blood cells from people who have recently contracted and fought off the Zika virus. The treatment significantly reduced the amount of Zika virus that circulated in the mother's blood and crossed the placenta into the baby.
Prof Laura Rodrigues, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "At the moment, if a pregnant woman is diagnosed with Zika she only really has one option - whether or not to have a termination.
"Even if we do one day have a vaccine that can protect people from catching Zika, there will still be some who will get infected.
"For these people, a treatment like this antibody one would be helpful."
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