New York Times: The Zika Virus Grew Deadlier With a Small Mutation, Study Suggests
“…An intriguing study in mice, which has prompted some skepticism among experts, suggests that a single genetic mutation helped transform the Zika virus into a devastating force in Latin America. The report was published on Thursday in the journal Science…” (Belluck/McNeil, 9/28).

NPR: How Zika Became So Dangerous For Babies
“…A single mutation — just one change in the virus’s genes — dramatically increases Zika’s ability to damage fetal neurons and leads to more severe cases of microcephaly in mice, the team reports…” (Doucleff, 9/28).

Reuters: A single genetic glitch may explain how Zika became so dangerous (Steenhuysen, 9/28).

Scientific American: A Single Mutation Helps Modern Zika Cause Birth Defects (9/28).

Wall Street Journal: Genetic Mutation Made Zika Virus More Dangerous, Study Says (McKay, 9/28).

Washington Post: Zika was a mild bug. A new discovery shows how it turned monstrous. (Wan, 9/28).

Wired: One gene mutation may cause Zika’s devastating birth defects (Molteni, 9/28).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

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