Nonhuman Primate Core

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NHP Core - Project Summary/Abstract The emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Americas and its association with fetal demise and birth defects represents a significant public health challenge. To date, very little is known about how ma- ternal-fetal transmission occurs and what factors influence fetal pathology during congenital infection. Thus, understanding the pathophysiology of ZIKV infection during pregnancy is critical. The use of a nonhuman primate (NHP) model for ZIKV infection during pregnancy will allow finescale and comprehen- sive examination of the pathology and duration of infection, the influence of pre-existing dengue virus immunity on infection, and the immune response to infection; important studies that are not possible in humans. The NHP model is additionally ideal for these studies due to the relative similarity of macaque pregnancies to human pregnancies. The Non-Human Primate (NHP) Core is an integral component of the Program Project and provides direct support to all three Projects. The NHP Core will provide healthy animals, coordinate and implement all aspects of the proposed NHP experiments, establish and verify pregnancies and monitor maternal and fetal health, perform necropsies and detailed histopathological examinations, assess neonatal outcomes, and provide compliance oversight and biosafety training for all three Projects.