Depletion of skin bacteria by topical antibiotic treatment accelerates onset of Zika virus disease in mice.
L. Langendries, S. Verwimp, S. Jacobs, Y. A. Alpizar, B. Malengier-Devlies, R. Abdelnabi, J. Raes, C. Callewaert, L. Yshii, L. Delang
This study shows that topical antibiotics reduce skin bacteria in mice, leading to faster Zika virus disease progression and higher viral loads in multiple tissues.
bioRxiv · Jul 12, 2024 · PreprintMicrobiology