Zika might not directly cause the miscarriages and birth defects that have been associated with the notorious virus, a new study in mice suggests.
Instead, the ravaging effects of Zika infection on a developing fetus appear to stem from the immune response of the expecting mother, researchers said.
Lab mice bred without a key step in their immune response wound up birthing pups that survived Zika infection, while normal mice either lost their pregnancy or produced very underweight pups, the study found.