Animal models are essential for quickly understanding ZIKV transmission and pathogenesis, as
well as for evaluating candidate vaccines and therapeutics. ZIKV infects immunocompromised mice5, providing evidence suggesting that ZIKV causes microcephaly by attacking neuronal progenitor cells and leads to intrauterine growth restriction6–9. However, mouse models do not mimic key attributes of human infection and fetal development such as infection in an immunocompetent state or the same type of remodelling of the spiral arteries and arterial vasodilation10.