Zika virus (ZIKV) is spreading rapidly around the world in over 60 countries. There is a mounting concern over the association of ZIKV infection and devastating cases of fetal and newborn microcephaly cases1. The connection between ZIKV infection and microcephaly was first proposed based on the presence of ZIKV in microcephalic fetal brain tissues1. The causal link between ZIKV infection and microcephaly was recently confirmed in animal models and human cerebral organoids2,3,4. The infection is likely to cause deregulation of genes related to neural progenitor cell (NPC) development, cell death and immune response, and subsequently microcephaly2,3,4.

As a ZIKV vaccine is likely years away, there is an urgent need to explore immediately available therapeutics for effective treatment against ZIKV. Over the past decades, human convalescent plasma derived from patients recovered from diseases has been used in emergency response to emerging viral diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, H5N1 influenza, Ebola virus disease and Middle East respiratory syndrome5. Notably, convalescent plasma is safe for pregnant women and children. Here we describe the effects of treatment with human convalescent serum in an established animal model of microcephaly2.

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