Detection in vitro of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in platelets from individuals without virus

Abstract

Platelets are fragments of the megakaryocytes produced in bone marrow. Besides participate in the coagulation process the platelets have been described as virus carrier in circulation of the infected patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis C Virus and Dengue Virus. The ZIKV is an emergent pathogen, belongs of the Flaviviridae family that infects dendritic cells, epithelial cells, keratinocytes and fibroblasts, promoting fever and encephalic syndromes as Guillain-Barre syndrome and microcephaly. In this context the goal of this study will be to evaluate if the ZIKV interacts with platelets in vitro. Platelets obtained from blood donors will be incubated in vitro with the virus from cellular culture. After incubation the platelets will be washed to eliminate the free virus. Viral RNA isolated from platelets will be used as source to qRT-PCR to qualitative detection of the ZIKV in infected platelets. (AU)