Semliki Forest virus was originally isolated from mosquitoes in the Semliki Forest, Uganda, hence the name. Upon systemic infection from mosquito bites, Semliki Forest virus causes mild blood viremia before finding its way to the central nervous system where it can cause neurotoxicity. In a recent study, researchers show that the Semliki Forest virus enters the central nervous system by first entering the cerebrospinal fluid and then binding to a specific cell type before penetrating deeper into the brain. This finding could potentially be used to develop the Semliki Forest virus as an agent for treating brain cancer.
Route of entry for Semliki Forest virus into the brain revealed
