In a first comprehensive description of the Zika virus genome, scientists have identified seven key proteins that may make the virus so deadly.
Over the past year, scientists have learned that it can cause a range of dangerous health problems, including birth defects such as microcephaly and neurological problems such as Guillain-Barre syndrome.
However, they do not know which Zika protein or proteins are causing harm, or exactly how these proteins cause damage.
Now, a new study by scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) in the US has for the first time identified seven key proteins in the virus that may be the culprits behind this damage.