Publications

By H Brenes-Chacón, ML Ávila-Agüero, K Camacho-Badilla, G Naranjo-Zuñiga, A Benavides-Lara, A Soriano-Fallas

Poster presented at the ID Week, Washington DC, October 2nd – 6th 2019

By Giovannetti M, de Mendonca MCL, Fonseca V, et al.

The recent reemergence of yellow fever virus (YFV) in Brazil has raised serious concerns due to the rapid dissemination of the virus in the southeastern region. To better understand YFV genetic diversity and dynamics during the recent outbreak in southeastern Brazil, we generated 18 complete and nearly complete genomes from the peak of the epidemic curve from nonhuman primates (NHPs) and human infected cases across the Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro states.

Published in: J Virol. 2019;94(1). pii: e01623-19

By Tedder RS, Dicks S, Ijaz S, et al. 

The accurate diagnosis and seroprevalence investigations of Zika virus (ZKV) infections remain complex due to cross reactivity with other flaviviruses. Two assay formats, both using labelled Zika virus NS1 antigen as a revealing agent (a double antigen binding assay, DABA, and an immunoglobulin Ig capture assay, G capture) were initially developed and compared with the indirect EuroimmunZ assay for the detection of anti-Zika antibody.

Published in: PLoS One. 2019;14(8):e0215708

By Torres MC, de Bruycker Nogueira F, Fernandes CA, et al.

The Asian/American genotype of dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) has been introduced in Brazil through the state of Rio de Janeiro around 1990, and since then it has been spreading and evolving, leading to several waves of dengue epidemics throughout the country that cause a major public health problem. Of particular interest has been the epidemic of 2008, whose highest impact was evidenced in the state of Rio de Janeiro, with a higher number of severe cases and mortality rate, compared to previous outbreaks.

Published in: PLoS One. 2019;14(12):e0225879

By Schwarz ER, Pozor MA, Pu R, et al.

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a vertically and sexually transmissible virus resulting in severe congenital malformation. The goal of this study was to develop an ovine model of ZIKV infection

Published in: Viruses. 2019;11(9)

By Rodó C, Suy A, Sulleiro E, et al. 

The aim was to describe pregnancy outcomes after Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in a non-endemic region. According to the Spanish protocol issued after the ZIKV outbreak in Brazil in 2015, all pregnant women who had travelled to high-burden countries were screened for ZIKV. Serological and molecular tests were used to identify ZIKV-infected pregnant women. They were classified as confirmed ZIKV infection when reverse transcription (RT) PCR tested positive, or probable ZIKV infection when ZIKV immunoglobulin M and/or immunoglobulin G and ZIKV plaque reduction neutralization tests were positive. Women found positive using molecular or serological tests were prospectively followed-up with ultrasound scans and neurosonograms on a monthly basis until delivery; magnetic resonance imaging and amniotic fluid testing were performed after signed informed consent. Samples of placenta, and fetal and neonatal tissues were obtained. The prevalence of perinatal adverse outcomes for women with ZIKV-confirmed infection was 33.3%. Amniocentesis for ZIKV RT-PCR is recommended when fetal abnormalities are found. Intensive prenatal and postnatal follow-up of ZIKV-infected pregnancies is advised in confirmed cases.

Published in: Clin Microbiol Infect. 2019;25(5):633.e5-633.e9

By Sulleiro E, Rando A, Alejo I, et al.

Published in: Travel Med Infect Dis. 2019;29:69-71

By Siqueira Mello A, Pascalicchio Bertozzi APA, Rodrigues MMD, et al.

The Zika virus is an arbovirus that has as main source of transmission the bite of infected insects of the genus Aedes and has been associated with cases of congenital malformation and microcephaly in neonates. However, other sources of transmission have been identified since the emergence of this virus in the world population, such as vertical transmission by semen and possibly other body fluids such as vaginal secretion and breast milk.

Published in: Am J Case Rep. 2019:20:723-725

By Wilder-Smith A, Wei Y, Araújo TVB, VanKerkhove M, et al.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy is a known cause of microcephaly and other congenital and developmental anomalies. In the absence of a ZIKV vaccine or prophylactics, principal investigators (PIs) and international leaders in ZIKV research have formed the ZIKV Individual Participant Data (IPD) Consortium to identify, collect and synthesise IPD from longitudinal studies of pregnant women that measure ZIKV infection during pregnancy and fetal, infant or child outcomes.

Published in: BMJ Open. 2019 Jun 18;9(6):e026092

By Vedovello D, Witkin SS, Silva ACB, et al.

Paired maternal and newborn urine and amniotic fluid from 138 subjects collected during a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak was analyzed for ZIKV by gene amplification (RT-qPCR), and the findings were correlated with clinical symptoms and neurological anomalies in the babies. ZIKV was detected in 1 of 9 symptomatic women (11.1%) and in 19 of 129 asymptomatic women (14.7%). Neurological manifestations were present in 19 babies (13.7%), 10 of 20 (50%) positive and 9 of 119 (7.6%) negative (p < 0.001) for ZIKV. Twelve (8.6%) urines collected during gestation were ZIKV-positive; only 2 remained positive for ZIKV postpartum. Six (4.1%) newborn urines collected within 1 day of delivery were ZIKV-positive cases. In 3 of these cases, ZIKV was detected in mother’s urine pre- and postpartum and in both mother’s urine and babies’ urine. Four of the amniotic fluid samples (2.9%) were ZIKV-positive. Among ZIKV-negative babies with neurological sequel, 87.5% were female; in contrast, 72.7% ZIKV-positive babies with neurological abnormalities were male (p = 0.019). We conclude that during a ZIKV outbreak, clinical symptoms and ZIKV detection in biological fluids are poor predictors of infection and adverse neurologic sequel in newborns

Published in: J Neurovirol. 2019;9. doi: 10.1007/s13365-019-00797-0