New York, Nov 17 (PTI) A drug used to prevent and treatmalaria may also be effective against Zika virus, a study hasfound.
The medication, called chloroquine, has a long history ofsafe use during pregnancy, and is relatively inexpensive,according to the study published in the journal ScientificReports.
Zika virus remains a major global health risk. In mostadults, Zika causes mild flu-like symptoms.
However in pregnant women, the virus can cause seriousbirth defects in babies - including microcephaly - aneurological condition in which newborns have unusually smallheads and fail to develop properly.
There is no treatment or way to reverse the condition.
"There is still an urgent need to bolster ourpreparedness and capacity to respond to the next Zikaoutbreak," said Alexey Terskikh, from the Sanford BurnhamPrebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) in the US.
"Our latest research suggests the anti-malaria drugchloroquine may be an effective drug to treat and prevent Zikainfections," Terskikh said.
The study examined the effect of chloroquine in humanbrain organoids and pregnant mice infected with the virus, andfound the drug markedly reduced the amount of Zika virus inmaternal blood and neural progenitor cells in the fetal brain.
Pregnant mice received chloroquine through drinking waterin dosages equivalent to acceptable levels used in humans.
"Chloroquine has a long history of successfully treatingmalaria, and there are no reports of it causing birthdefects," said Terskikh.
"Additional studies are certainly needed to determine theprecise details of how it works. But given its low cost,availability and safety history further study in a clinicaltrial to test its effectiveness against Zika virus in humansis merited," Terskikh added. PTI SNE SARSNE.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.