Zika virus (ZIKV) is transmitted mainly by mosquito bites and can also be transmitted between humans by sex or from pregnant women to their babies. ZIKV infection causes damage in many tissues including the brain in adults and newborns, making ZIKV infection an important health issue globally. To develop new tools for ZIKV research, we determined that a genetically modified mouse strain, Stat1-/-, was highly sensitive to ZIKV infection. We also demonstrated that ZIKV could be delivered to mice by mosquito bites and transmitted back to Stat1-/- mice. The newly developed mouse model will be useful for developing new strategies to treat ZIKV infection and for studying mechanisms to reduce mosquito-mediated transmission.
