Zika virus dynamics: Effects of inoculum dose, the innate immune response and viral interference

PLoS Comput Biol. 2021 Jan 20;17(1):e1008564. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008564. eCollection 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Experimental Zika virus infection in non-human primates results in acute viral load dynamics that can be well-described by mathematical models. The inoculum dose that would be received in a natural infection setting is likely lower than the experimental infections and how this difference affects the viral dynamics and immune response is unclear. Here we study a dataset of experimental infection of non-human primates with a range of doses of Zika virus. We develop new models of infection incorporating both an innate immune response and viral interference with that response. We find that such a model explains the data better than models with no interaction between virus and the immune response. We also find that larger inoculum doses lead to faster dynamics of infection, but approximately the same total amount of viral production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Computational Biology
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / immunology
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / physiology
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology*
  • Macaca
  • Models, Biological
  • Viral Interference* / immunology
  • Viral Interference* / physiology
  • Viral Load / immunology
  • Viral Load / physiology
  • Zika Virus Infection* / immunology
  • Zika Virus Infection* / virology
  • Zika Virus* / immunology
  • Zika Virus* / pathogenicity
  • Zika Virus* / physiology