REVIEW article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Viral Immunology
Comparative Analysis of Placental Transmission Mechanisms for Dengue and Zika Viruses: Outcomes and Future Directions
Rana Chakraborty 1
Indrani Mukherjee 1
Neil Ferland 1
Katelyn Nguyen 1
Sara Adames 1
Helena Solo-Gabriele 2
Joshua Anzinger 3
Ivan Gonzalez 1
Ruby Dhar 4
Subhradip Karmakar 4
1. University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, United States
2. University of Miami, Coral Gables, United States
3. The University Hospital of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica
4. All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, New Delhi, India
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Abstract
Zika and Dengue viruses are arboviral pathogens capable of crossing the placental barrier, representing major global health risks for maternal and fetal outcomes. In this narrative review, we compare their epidemiology, clinical consequences in pregnancy, and underlying mechanisms of vertical transmission. Emerging molecular insights are highlighted, including disruptions to placental signaling pathways such as JAK/STAT and mTOR, and strategies to evade Hofbauer cells and the immune system. A comparative analysis of these processes underscores a critical need for improved understanding of placental pathophysiology, immune regulation, and molecular pathways of transmission. Identifying such mechanisms may promote vaccine development, improved diagnostics, and therapies to reduce adverse outcomes in the mother-infant dyad during maternal infection.
Summary
Keywords
Dengue, immunological factors, Placenta, Vertical transmission, Zika
Received
18 November 2025
Accepted
19 February 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Chakraborty, Mukherjee, Ferland, Nguyen, Adames, Solo-Gabriele, Anzinger, Gonzalez, Dhar and Karmakar. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Rana Chakraborty
Disclaimer
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