Zika virus infection triggers the melanization response in Drosophila

•Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks still pose a public health threat in several countries. Animal models like Drosophila are critical for understanding the genetic basis of host antiviral response.•Here we investigate the activity of the phenoloxidase/melanization responses in Drosophila infected with ZIKV. We report for the first time that injection of ZIKV into wild-type adult flies significantly increases phenoloxidase enzyme activity in the hemolymph and melanin formation at the injection site.•Our findings are important because they indicate that the phenoloxidase/melanization system may form another layer of the host antiviral response against ZIKV infection.