The disease caused a global medical emergency in 2016, thousands of children were born with brain damage after their mothers became infected during pregnancy.
Scientists in the United States say that the world should be looking for new mutations.
The laboratory work, described in the journal Cell Reports, suggests that the virus could easily change, creating new variants.
Recent studies on infections suggest that these variants may be effective in transmitting the virus, even in countries that have gained immunity to previous outbreaks. Zikasays the team at the La Jolla Institute of Immunology.
Experts said the findings, while theoretical, were interesting – and a reminder that viruses other than COVID could pose a threat.
The virus that changes its shape
Zika virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito. These mosquitoes bite the most during the day, especially in the very early morning and evening. These mosquitoes also transmit dengue fever, yellow fever and chikungunya virus.
Insects are found all over America – except Canada and Chile, where it is too cold for them to survive – and in Asia.
Zika virus was first identified in 1947 in Uganda in monkeys by a network of researchers who monitored yellow fever. In 1952 she was identified in Uganda and Tanzania, this time in humans. The virus is circulating in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.
While for most people, Zika is a mild disease with no lasting effects, it can have catastrophic consequences for babies in the womb.
If a mother contracts the virus during pregnancy, it can harm the developing baby, causing microcephaly (unusually small head) and damaged brain tissue.
Zika virus
- Although the virus is spread by mosquitoes, it can also be transmitted sexually
- Few people die from Zika and it is believed that only one in five infected people develop symptoms
- These may include fever, a rash, and joint pain. Because there is no treatment, the only option is to reduce the risk of being bitten.
- Scientists have begun work on a vaccine against Zika to help protect pregnant women.
Professor Jonathan Ball, a virus expert at the University of Nottingham, told the BBC: “We’ve heard so much lately about the rapid evolution and emergence of coronavirus variants, shared by so many viruses.
“This paper shows how quickly a one-letter change can occur in the sequence of a virus’s genome and the strong impact it can have on the ability to get sick. But the viruses that share these changes have not often been seen in outbreaks. and, as the authors point out, these interesting perspectives require further investigation. “
Dr Clare Taylor of the Society for Applied Microbiology said: “Although these findings have been observed in laboratory experiments and therefore have limitations, Zika also reminds us that monitoring is important to keep track of viruses as they evolve. “
She said it may be possible to predict which options could cause significant problems in the future and intervene early.
Professor Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said that previous Zika infection could still provide some protection against new variants – as seen with COVID.
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