Virus Infection of the Brain: Lessons from Drosophila for Illuminating Virus Disease and Nervous System Function

[Display omitted] •Viral infection affects nervous system homeostasis in Drosophila.•Zika virus infection induces the Immune deficiency pathway in the Drosophila brain.•This research contributes to understanding the virus-induced brain pathogenesis. Recent studies using genomic and functional approaches in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster have revealed the effects of viral infection on nervous system homeostasis. An established connection between viral infection and brain function is critical due to its significant contribution to several areas of biomedical research, particularly the molecular pathogenesis of neurotropic viruses, the neurobiology of viral disease, and understanding the genetic basis and pathophysiology of viral tropism.