Scientists recreate enterovirus infection in a new model of the human intestine

Article excerpt

Researchers at Science Tokyo have built a miniaturized model of the human intestine that successfully reproduces enterovirus A71 infection over the long term. The system revealed how EV-A71 replicates in intestinal tissue while evading the body's immune defenses, a crucial puzzle piece for understanding why the virus causes persistent infections. Published in the Journal of Virology, the work opens pathways for developing targeted treatments against a pathogen that primarily affects children in Asia-Pacific regions. The biomimetic platform mimics the intestine's three-dimensional structure and cellular environment more faithfully than traditional lab cultures, potentially accelerating drug discovery for viral diseases.