scholarly journals Zika Virus Infection in Pregnant Women and Microcephaly

Author(s):  
Geraldo Duarte ◽  
Antonio Moron ◽  
Artur Timerman ◽  
César Fernandes ◽  
Corintio Mariani Neto ◽  
...  

AbstractFrom the discovery of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in 1947 in Uganda (Africa), until its arrival in South America, it was not known that it would affect human reproductive life so severely. Today, damage to the central nervous system is known to be multiple, and microcephaly is considered the tip of the iceberg. Microcephaly actually represents the epilogue of this infection's devastating process on the central nervous system of embryos and fetuses. As a result of central nervous system aggression by the ZIKV, this infection brings the possibility of arthrogryposis, dysphagia, deafness and visual impairment. All of these changes of varying severity directly or indirectly compromise the future life of these children, and are already considered a congenital syndrome linked to the ZIKV. Diagnosis is one of the main difficulties in the approach of this infection. Considering the clinical part, it has manifestations common to infections by the dengue virus and the chikungunya fever, varying only in subjective intensities. The most frequent clinical variables are rash, febrile state, non-purulent conjunctivitis and arthralgia, among others. In terms of laboratory resources, there are also limitations to the subsidiary diagnosis. Molecular biology tests are based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with reverse transcriptase (RT) action, since the ZIKV is a ribonucleic acid (RNA) virus. The RT-PCR shows serum or plasma positivity for a short period of time, no more than five days after the onset of the signs and symptoms. The ZIKV urine test is positive for a longer period, up to 14 days. There are still no reliable techniques for the serological diagnosis of this infection. If there are no complications (meningoencephalitis or Guillain-Barré syndrome), further examination is unnecessary to assess systemic impairment. However, evidence is needed to rule out other infections that also cause rashes, such as dengue, chikungunya, syphilis, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella, and herpes. There is no specific antiviral therapy against ZIKV, and the therapeutic approach to infected pregnant women is limited to the use of antipyretics and analgesics. Anti-inflammatory drugs should be avoided until the diagnosis of dengue is discarded. There is no need to modify the schedule of prenatal visits for pregnant women infected by ZIKV, but it is necessary to guarantee three ultrasound examinations during pregnancy for low-risk pregnancies, and monthly for pregnant women with confirmed ZIKV infection. Vaginal delivery and natural breastfeeding are advised.

2015 ◽  
Vol 309 (10) ◽  
pp. C660-C668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria L. Hodgkinson ◽  
Sha Zhu ◽  
Yanfang Wang ◽  
Erik Ladomersky ◽  
Karen Nickelson ◽  
...  

Menkes disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder arising from a systemic copper deficiency caused by loss-of-function mutations in a ubiquitously expressed copper transporter, ATP7A. Although this disorder reveals an essential role for copper in the developing human nervous system, the role of ATP7A in the pathogenesis of signs and symptoms in affected patients, including severe mental retardation, ataxia, and excitotoxic seizures, remains unknown. To directly examine the role of ATP7A within the central nervous system, we generated Atp7a Nes mice, in which the Atp7a gene was specifically deleted within neural and glial cell precursors without impairing systemic copper homeostasis, and compared these mice with the mottled brindle ( mo-br) mutant, a murine model of Menkes disease in which Atp7a is defective in all cells. Whereas mo-br mice displayed neurodegeneration, demyelination, and 100% mortality prior to weaning, the Atp7a Nes mice showed none of these phenotypes, exhibiting only mild sensorimotor deficits, increased anxiety, and susceptibility to NMDA-induced seizure. Our results indicate that the pathophysiology of severe neurological signs and symptoms in Menkes disease is the result of copper deficiency within the central nervous system secondary to impaired systemic copper homeostasis and does not arise from an intrinsic lack of ATP7A within the developing brain. Furthermore, the sensorimotor deficits, hypophagia, anxiety, and sensitivity to NMDA-induced seizure in the Atp7a Nes mice reveal unique autonomous requirements for ATP7A in the nervous system. Taken together, these data reveal essential roles for copper acquisition in the central nervous system in early development and suggest novel therapeutic approaches in affected patients.


2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. . Smirnova ◽  
N. . Borzova ◽  
N. . Sotnikova ◽  
A. . Malyshkina ◽  
E. . Bojko

Perinatal lesions of the Central nervous system (CNS) in newborns occupy a leading place in the structure of perinatal morbidity and subsequent disability of children. To identify the features of the content of sRAGE in pregnant women with threatening preterm labor (UPR) in the period of 22-27 weeks, who subsequently gave birth to children with perinatal CNS lesion. Serum of venous blood of pregnant women with UPR at the term of 22-27 weeks was determined by ELISA once the content of sRAGE. If the value of sRAGE in pregnant women is 659.5 PG/ml or less, perinatal hypoxic lesions of the Central nervous system in newborns are predicted with an accuracy of 75.8% (sensitivity of 82.6%, specificity of 66.7%).


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-451
Author(s):  
Barry H. Rumack

The increased incidence of poisoning by overdoses of commonly used drugs with anticholinergic properties (Table I) and the general lack of knowledge concerning a specific treatment for these poisons warrants a summary of the problem at this time. Some plants containing anticholinergic alkaloids are also included in this group as they may also be taken intentionally or accidentally. Drugs with anticholinergic properties primanly antagonize acetylcholine competitively at the neuroreceptor site. Cardiac muscle, exocrine glands, and smooth muscle are most markedly affected.1 Action of the inhibitors is overcome by increasing the level of acetylcholine naturally generated in the body through inhibiting the enzyme (choline esterase) which normally prevents accumulation of excess acetylcholine. It does this by hydrolyzing that compound to inactive acetic acid and choline. Agents which inhibit this enzyme, so that acetylcholine accumulates at the neuroreceptor sites, are called anticholine esterases. Physostigmine, one of the anticholine esterases which is a tertiary amine, crosses into the central nervous system and can reverse both central and peripheral anticholinergic actions2. Neostigmine and pyridostigmine are also anticholine esterases but they are quaternary amines and are capable of acting only outside the central nervous system because of solubility and ionization characteristics. The anticholinergic syndrome has both central and peripheral signs and symptoms. Central toxic effects include anxiety, delirium, disorientation, hallucinations, hyperactivity, and seizures.2 Severe poisoning may produce coma, medullary paralysis, and death. Peripheral taxicity is characterized by tachycardia, hyperpyrexia, mydriasis, vasodilatation, urinary retention, diminution of gastrointestinal motility, decrease of secretion in salivary and sweat glands, and loss of secretions in the pharynx, bronchi, and nasal passages.


Cell ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 169 (4) ◽  
pp. 610-620.e14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malika Aid ◽  
Peter Abbink ◽  
Rafael A. Larocca ◽  
Michael Boyd ◽  
Ramya Nityanandam ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 65-77
Author(s):  
N. V. Tsygan ◽  
A. P. Trashkov ◽  
A. V. Ryabtsev ◽  
V. A. Yakovleva ◽  
A. L. Konevega ◽  
...  

Detailed clinical assessment of the central nervous system involvement in SARS-CoV-2 infection is relevant due to the low specificity of neurological manifestations, the complexity of evaluation of patient complaints, reduced awareness of the existing spectrum of neurological manifestations of COVID-19, as well as low yield of the neurological imaging.The aim. To reveal the patterns of central nervous system involvement in COVID-19 and its pathogenesis based on clinical data.Among more than 200 primary literature sources from various databases (Scopus, Web of Science, RSCI, etc.), 80 sources were selected for evaluation, of them 72 were published in the recent years (2016-2020). The criteria for exclusion of sources were low relevance and outdated information.The clinical manifestations of central nervous system involvement in COVID-19 include smell (5-98% of cases) and taste disorders (6-89%), dysphonia (28%), dysphagia (19%), consciousness disorders (3-53%), headache (0-70%), dizziness (0-20%), and, in less than 3% of cases, visual impairment, hearing impairment, ataxia, seizures, stroke. Analysis of the literature data revealed the following significant mechanisms of the effects of highly contagious coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2) on the central nervous system: neurodegeneration (including cytokine- induced); cerebral thrombosis and thromboembolism; damage to the neurovascular unit; immune-mediated damage of nervous tissue, resulting in infection and allergy-induced demyelination.The neurological signs and symptoms seen in COVID-19 such as headache, dizziness, impaired smell and taste, altered level of consciousness, bulbar disorders (dysphagia, dysphonia) have been examined. Accordingly, we discussed the possible routes of SARS-CoV-2 entry into the central nervous system and the mechanisms of nervous tissue damage.Based on the literature analysis, a high frequency and variability of central nervous system manifestations of COVID-19 were revealed, and an important role of vascular brain damage and neurodegeneration in the pathogenesis of COVID-19 was highlighted.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Leão de Moraes ◽  
Fernanda Sardinha de Abreu Tacon ◽  
Andréa de Faria Rezende Matos ◽  
Natália Cruz e Melo ◽  
Michelle Hermínia Mesquita de Castro ◽  
...  

Introduction: Approximately 21% of congenital anomalies (CA) involve the Central Nervous System (CNS), constituting one of the most common birth defects, affecting 1 to 10: 1,000 of live births. Objective: To analyze the prevalence of CNS anomalies diagnosed by obstetric ultrasound. Methods: Prospective longitudinal cohort study carried out in a public fetal medicine service in Goiânia with pregnant women who were attended in high-risk prenatal care. The patients were followed up during the ultrasound exams from March 2018 to March 2019. Results: 225 cases of pregnant women with ultrasound diagnoses of CA were surveyed during the investigated period. CNS anomalies were the most prevalent, being present in 34.22% (77/225) of the cases. The mean maternal age of pregnant women was 25.55 years and mean gestational age was 28.84 weeks. Hydrocephalus was identified in 23 pregnant women (29.87%), being the most prevalent CNS anomalie. Anencephaly was present in 24.68% (19/77) and holoprosencephaly in 18.18% (14/77). Other CA were also diagnosed (21/77), such as meningocele, spina bifida, acrania, among others. However, they showed a lower prevalence in relation to hydrocephalus, anencephaly and holoprosencephaly. Conclusion: The findings are essential for the planning and allocation of hospital resources and investment in health. Besides that, to adequate and specific prenatal care, is indispensable in the search for reducing the incidence of these malformations, morbidity and improving survival rates of the affected population.


Author(s):  
Veronica Murta ◽  
Alejandro Villarreal ◽  
Alberto Javier Ramos

With confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassing the 8.5 million mark around the globe, there is an imperative need to deepen the efforts from the international scientific community to gain comprehensive understanding of SARS-CoV-2. Although the main clinical manifestations are associated with respiratory or intestinal symptoms, reports of specific and non-specific neurological signs and symptoms, both at presentation or during the course of the acute phase, are increasing. Approximately 25-40% of the patients present neurological symptoms. The etiology of these neurological manifestations remains obscure, and probably involves several direct pathways, not excluding the direct entry of the virus to the Central Nervous System (CNS) through the olfactory epithelium, circumventricular organs, or disrupted blood-brain barrier (BBB). Furthermore, neuroinflammation might occur in response to the strong systemic cytokine storm described for COVID-19, or due to dysregulation of the CNS angiotensin system. Descriptions of neurological manifestations in patients in the previous coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks have been numerous for the SARS-CoV and lesser for MERS-CoV. Strong evidence from patients and experimental models suggests that some human variants of CoV have the ability to reach the CNS and that neurons, astrocytes and/or microglia can be target cells for CoV. A growing body of evidence shows that astrocytes and microglia have a major role in neuroinflammation, responding to local CNS inflammation and/or to dysbalanced peripheral inflammation. This is another potential mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 damage to the CNS. In this work we will summarize the known neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, explore the potential role for astrocytes and microglia in the infection and neuroinflammation, and compare them with the previously described human and animal CoV that showed neurotropism. We also propose possible underlying mechanisms by focusing on our knowledge of glia, neurons, and their dynamic intricate communication with the immune system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (9) ◽  
pp. 489-499
Author(s):  
Ítalo Esposti Poly da Silva ◽  
Milene Lopes da Silva ◽  
Roberto Sousa Dias ◽  
Edjon Gonçalves Santos ◽  
Maria Cecília Brangioni de Paula ◽  
...  

Pathogens ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hercules Sakkas ◽  
Petros Bozidis ◽  
Xenofon Giannakopoulos ◽  
Nikolaos Sofikitis ◽  
Chrissanthy Papadopoulou

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the arthropod-borne flaviviruses (arboviruses) which are mainly transmitted by blood-sucking mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. ZIKV infection has been known to be rather asymptomatic or presented as febrile self-limited disease; however, during the last decade the manifestation of ZIKV infection has been associated with a variety of neuroimmunological disorders including Guillain–Barré syndrome, microcephaly and other central nervous system abnormalities. More recently, there is accumulating evidence about sexual transmission of ZIKV, a trait that has never been observed in any other mosquito-borne flavivirus before. This article reviews the latest information regarding the latter and emerging role of ZIKV, focusing on the consequences of ZIKV infection on the male reproductive system and the epidemiology of human-to-human sexual transmission.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document