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Epidemiological and clinical suspicion of congenital Zika virus infection: Serological findings in mothers and children from Brazil
Author(s) -
Venturi Giulietta,
Fortuna Claudia,
Alves Rita Maria,
Passos do Prado Paschoal Ana Gabriela,
da Silva Júnior Pedro José,
Remoli Maria Elena,
Benedetti Eleonora,
Amendola Antonello,
da Silva Batista Everton,
Gama Deijamile Virginia Novais,
Barros Davi Hasselmann,
Fiorentini Cristiano,
Rezza Giovanni,
Leite Primo Chagas Janeusa Rita
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.25504
Subject(s) - zika virus , serology , microcephaly , dengue fever , medicine , population , immunoglobulin m , virology , dengue virus , pediatrics , antibody , immunology , virus , immunoglobulin g , environmental health
The emergence of Zika virus in the Americas has caused an increase of babies born with microcephaly or other neurological malformations. The differential diagnosis of Zika infection, particularly serological diagnosis, is an important but complex issue. In this study, we describe clinical manifestations of 94 suspected cases of congenital Zika from Bahia state, Brazil, and the results of serological tests performed on children and/or their mothers at an average of 71 days after birth. Anti‐Zika immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies were detected in 44.4% and in 7.1% of samples from mothers and children, respectively. Nearly all the IgM, and 92% of immunoglobulin G positive results were confirmed by neutralization test. Zika specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in as much as 90.4% of the cases. Moreover, dengue specific neutralizing antibodies were detected in 79.0% of Zika seropositive mothers. In conclusion, Zika IgM negative results should be considered with caution, due to a possible rapid loss of sensitivity after birth, while the NS1‐based Zika IgM enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay test we have used has demonstrated to be highly specific. In a high percentage of cases, Zika specific neutralizing antibodies were detected, which are indicative of a past Zika infection, probably occurred during pregnancy in this population.