The Zika virus may cause long-term damage to the memory which mirrors the effects of Alzheimer’s disease a new study suggests.

Scientists had thought that the virus only impacted the brains of developing foetuses and did not believe an infection posed serious problems for adults.

But a new study suggests that Zika can also infect the brain cells of adults, causing long term damage to memory.

“Zika can clearly enter the brain of adults and can wreak havoc,” said Professor Sujan Shresta, a member of the team from the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology in California, USA.

“But it's a complex disease - it's catastrophic for early brain development, yet the majority of adults who are infected with Zika rarely show detectable symptoms.

"Its effect on the adult brain may be more subtle, and now we know what to look for."