The viruses can cause prenatal brain damage and attack the brain during embryonic development. Austrian researchers now wanted to find out how the viruses do exactly thatBrain in unborn childrendamage. For this purpose, they grew organoids in the laboratory and examined how certain virus cells can influence or hinder the development of the organ.
Prenatal brain damage caused by viruses: Why are the Zika virus and co. particularly dangerous during pregnancy?
It has been known for several years that the Zika virus from South America can damage the brain of unborn babies. The research team from Austria managed to observe and investigate the infestation by the dangerous virus. They discovered that the so-called precursor cells are attacked by the virus. So they can't reproduce as quickly and the brain can't grow. But the virus can also cause other damage and lead to inflammation in brain tissue. This is why infection with Zika during pregnancy is so dangerous for the embryo and can have serious consequences for the child.
The reason why viruses are so dangerous, especially during pregnancy, is very simple. The viruses cannot multiply on their own like normal tissue cells. They therefore attack the host cells, enter their genome and cause them to produce virus building blocks. The human cells are then essentially forced to produce new viruses. In adults, the process can be stopped with medication. Our immune system can also fight against pathogens. In unborn babies, however, the cells are quickly and severely affected. This is very dangerous, especially in the development phase when the organs have not yet fully formed. This stops the process and the organ cannot develop further. This could be life-threatening, especially with the brain, because the brain cells lose the ability to divide shortly after birth. If the brain is damaged prenatally, the consequences are lifelong. TheRisk of toxoplasmosis, herpes and measles are a typical example of diseases that can lead to brain damage during pregnancy.
