scholarly journals Is Zika Virus an Emerging TORCH Agent? An Invited Commentary

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1178122X1770899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Zare Mehrjardi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Imaging Modality ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Caribbean Region ◽  
Fetal Ultrasound ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
Congenital Microcephaly

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne arbovirus from the family Flaviviridae, which had caused some epidemics since its discovery in 1947 without any significant impacts on public health. In 2015, however, a 20-fold increase in congenital microcephaly cases in northeastern Brazil was attributed to prenatally acquired ZIKV infection. Traditionally, TORCH agents have 4 common characteristics including causing a mild illness in infected mother, vertical transmission to fetus, developing several anomalies in the affected fetus, and in some instances, maternal therapy may not ameliorate fetal prognosis. Prenatal ZIKV infection has shown the aforementioned characteristics during the recent epidemics in South America and the Caribbean region; therefore, it should be considered as an emerging TORCH agent that may seriously threaten public health. Fetal ultrasound can be used as a safe, inexpensive, and easy-to-access imaging modality for detecting suspicious cases of congenital Zika syndrome in utero and suggesting confirmatory diagnostic examinations to these patients.

scholarly journals Clinical Outcomes of a Zika Virus Mother–Child Pair Cohort in Spain

Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoni Soriano-Arandes ◽  
Marie Antoinette Frick ◽  
Milagros García López-Hortelano ◽  
Elena Sulleiro ◽  
Carlota Rodó ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Child Pair ◽  
Referral Hospitals ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
Endemic Areas ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Abnormalities ◽  
Congenital Microcephaly

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has been associated with congenital microcephaly and other neurodevelopmental abnormalities. There is little published research on the effect of maternal ZIKV infection in a non-endemic European region. We aimed to describe the outcomes of pregnant travelers diagnosed as ZIKV-infected in Spain, and their exposed children. Methods: This prospective observational cohort study of nine referral hospitals enrolled pregnant women (PW) who travelled to endemic areas during their pregnancy or the two previous months, or those whose sexual partners visited endemic areas in the previous 6 months. Infants of ZIKV-infected mothers were followed for about two years. Results: ZIKV infection was diagnosed in 163 PW; 112 (70%) were asymptomatic and 24 (14.7%) were confirmed cases. Among 143 infants, 14 (9.8%) had adverse outcomes during follow-up; three had a congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), and 11 other potential Zika-related outcomes. The overall incidence of CZS was 2.1% (95%CI: 0.4–6.0%), but among infants born to ZIKV-confirmed mothers, this increased to 15.8% (95%CI: 3.4–39.6%). Conclusions: A nearly 10% overall risk of neurologic and hearing adverse outcomes was found in ZIKV-exposed children born to a ZIKV-infected traveler PW. Longer-term follow-up of these children is needed to assess whether there are any later-onset manifestations.

Zika Virus Infection in Pregnancy, Microcephaly, and Maternal and Fetal Health: What We Think, What We Know, and What We Think We Know

2016 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Gabriela Alvarado ◽  
David A. Schwartz
Keyword(s):  
Brain Damage ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Fetal Brain ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Host Genetics ◽  
Fetal Infection ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
Experimental Laboratory ◽  
Congenital Microcephaly

Context.—The global epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection has emerged as an important public health problem affecting pregnant women and their infants. Objectives.—To review the causal association between ZIKV infection during pregnancy and intrauterine fetal infection, microcephaly, brain damage, congenital malformation syndrome, and experimental laboratory models of fetal infection. Many questions remain regarding the risk factors, pathophysiology, epidemiology, and timing of maternal-fetal transmission and disease. These include mechanisms of fetal brain damage and microcephaly; the role of covariables, such as viral burden, duration of viremia, and host genetics, on vertical transmission; and the clinical and pathologic spectrum of congenital Zika syndrome. Additional questions include defining the potential long-term physical and neurobehavioral outcomes for infected infants, whether maternal or fetal host genetics influence the clinical outcome, and whether ZIKV infection can cause maternal morbidity. Finally, are experimental laboratory and animal models of ZIKV infection helpful in addressing maternal-fetal viral transmission and the development of congenital microcephaly? This communication provides current information and attempts to address some of these important questions. Data Sources.—Comprehensive review of published scientific literature. Conclusions.—Recent advances in epidemiology, clinical medicine, pathology, and experimental studies have provided a great amount of new information regarding vertical ZIKV transmission and the mechanisms of congenital microcephaly, brain damage, and congenital Zika syndrome in a relatively short time. However, much work still needs to be performed to more completely understand the maternal and fetal aspects of this new and emerging viral disease.

scholarly journals Association between Genetic Variants in NOS2 and TNF Genes with Congenital Zika Syndrome and Severe Microcephaly

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 325
Author(s):  
Julia A. Gomes ◽  
Eduarda Sgarioni ◽  
Juliano A. Boquett ◽  
Ana Cláudia P. Terças-Trettel ◽  
Juliana H. da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Congenital Anomalies ◽  
Family Income ◽  
First Trimester ◽  
In Utero ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome

Zika virus (ZIKV) causes Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) in individuals exposed prenatally. Here, we investigated polymorphisms in VEGFA, PTGS2, NOS3, TNF, and NOS2 genes as risk factors to CZS. Forty children with CZS and forty-eight children who were in utero exposed to ZIKV infection, but born without congenital anomalies, were evaluated. Children with CZS were predominantly infected by ZIKV in the first trimester (p < 0.001) and had mothers with lower educational level (p < 0.001) and family income (p < 0.001). We found higher risk of CZS due the allele rs2297518[A] of NOS2 (OR = 2.28, CI 95% 1.17–4.50, p = 0.015). T allele and TT/CT genotypes of the TNF rs1799724 and haplotypes associated with higher expression of TNF were more prevalent in children with CZS and severe microcephaly (p = 0.029, p = 0.041 and p = 0.030, respectively). Our findings showed higher risk of CZS due ZIKV infection in the first trimester and suggested that polymorphisms in NOS2 and TNF genes affect the risk of CZS and severe microcephaly.

scholarly journals Dual burden of Zika and COVID-19 in India: challenges, opportunities and recommendations

2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mainak Bardhan ◽  
Debolina Pramanik ◽  
Rizana Riyaz ◽  
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan ◽  
Mohammad Yasir Essar
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Early Diagnosis ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Healthcare Resources ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The World ◽  
Significant Public Health ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
Dual Burden

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in the world from last year, and any further insults like Zika virus will surely bring the apocalypse unto us. In July 2021, Zika began spreading in India, mainly in the state of Kerala. Zika infection resembles closely COVID-19 and other arboviral infections, which might lead to delayed and misdiagnosis, further leading to underreporting of cases. Some of the feared complications of Zika include Guillain–Barré syndrome and congenital Zika syndrome leading to microcephaly. Thus, Zika virus disease (ZVD) has significant public health and social impacts. Since the trifecta of infectious diseases (host, agent and environment) are all conducive to the spread of Zika in India, there is a huge risk that ZVD might become endemic in India, which is especially dangerous in the backdrop of this pandemic. This has to be stopped at all costs: the main aspects of which are public health measures, vector control and early diagnosis, especially in case of pregnant women. The diversion of healthcare resources for this pandemic has albeit made this difficult, but we must do our bit if we have to overcome this situation.

scholarly journals Zika viruses of both African and Asian lineages cause fetal harm in a vertical transmission model

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna S. Jaeger ◽  
Reyes A. Murreita ◽  
Lea R. Goren ◽  
Chelsea M. Crooks ◽  
Ryan V. Moriarty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Vertical Transmission ◽  
Birth Defects ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
Transmission Model ◽  
Foreseeable Future ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome

AbstractCongenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection was first linked to birth defects during the American outbreak 1–3. It has been proposed that mutations unique to the Asian/American-genotype explain, at least in part, the ability of Asian/American ZIKV to cause congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) 4,5. Recent studies identified mutations in ZIKV infecting humans that arose coincident with the outbreak in French Polynesia and were stably maintained during subsequent spread to the Americas 5. Here we show that African ZIKV can infect and harm fetuses and that the S139N mutation that has been associated with the American outbreak is not essential for fetal harm. Our findings, in a vertical transmission mouse model, suggest that ZIKV will remain a threat to pregnant women for the foreseeable future, including in Africa, southeast Asia, and the Americas. Additional research is needed to better understand the risks associated with ZIKV infection during pregnancy, both in areas where the virus is newly endemic and where it has been circulating for decades.

scholarly journals Zika Virus Pathogenesis: From Early Case Reports to Epidemics

Viruses ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Pardy ◽  
Martin J. Richer
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Case Reports ◽  
Viral Persistence ◽  
The Body ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
Early Case ◽  
The Impact

For the first 60 years following its isolation, Zika virus (ZIKV) remained a relatively poorly described member of the Flaviviridae family. However, since 2007, it has caused a series of increasingly severe outbreaks and is now associated with neurological symptoms such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). A number of reports have improved our understanding of rare complications that may be associated with ZIKV infection in adults, the areas of the body to which it spreads, and viral persistence in various tissues. Likewise, studies on the effect of ZIKV infection during pregnancy have identified risk factors for CZS and the impact this syndrome has on early childhood. Understanding these outcomes and the factors that drive ZIKV pathogenesis are key to developing vaccination and therapeutic approaches to avoid these severe and potentially debilitating symptoms.

scholarly journals Autophagy in Zika Virus Infection: A Possible Therapeutic Target to Counteract Viral Replication

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 1048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rossella Gratton ◽  
Almerinda Agrelli ◽  
Paola Tricarico ◽  
Lucas Brandão ◽  
Sergio Crovella
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Viral Replication ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Mtor Signaling Pathway ◽  
Catabolic Pathway ◽  
Public Health Concern ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Fundamental Process

Zika virus (ZIKV) still constitutes a public health concern, however, no vaccines or therapies are currently approved for treatment. A fundamental process involved in ZIKV infection is autophagy, a cellular catabolic pathway delivering cytoplasmic cargo to the lysosome for degradation—considered as a primordial form of innate immunity against invading microorganisms. ZIKV is thought to inhibit the Akt-mTOR signaling pathway, which causes aberrant activation of autophagy promoting viral replication and propagation. It is therefore appealing to study the role of autophagic molecular effectors during viral infection to identify potential targets for anti-ZIKV therapeutic intervention.

Ethics, health policy, and Zika: From emergency to global epidemic?

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 343-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Euzebiusz Jamrozik ◽  
Michael J Selgelid
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Gender Equity ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Policy Design ◽  
Public Health Intervention ◽  
Neonatal Morbidity ◽  
Northeastern Brazil ◽  
Global Epidemic

Zika virus was recognised in 2016 as an important vector-borne cause of congenital malformations and Guillain-Barré syndrome, during a major epidemic in Latin America, centred in Northeastern Brazil. The WHO and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), with partner agencies, initiated a coordinated global response including public health intervention and urgent scientific research, as well as ethical analysis as a vital element of policy design. In this paper, we summarise the major ethical issues raised during the Zika epidemic, highlighting the PAHO ethics guidance and the role of ethics in emergency responses, before turning to ethical issues that are yet to be resolved. Zika raises traditional bioethical issues related to reproduction, prenatal diagnosis of serious malformations and unjust disparities in health outcomes. But the epidemic has also highlighted important issues of growing interest in public health ethics, such as the international spread of infectious disease; the central importance of reproductive healthcare in preventing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality; diagnostic and reporting biases; vector control and the links between vectors, climate change, and disparities in the global burden of disease. Finally, there are controversies regarding Zika vaccine research and eventual deployment. Zika virus was a neglected disease for over 50 years before the outbreak in Brazil. As it continues to spread, public health agencies should promote gender equity and disease control efforts in Latin America, while preparing for the possibility of a global epidemic.

scholarly journals Association of arthrogryposis in neonates with microcephaly due to Zika virus - a case serie

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. S83-S88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Catarina Matos Ishigami Alvino ◽  
Luísa Rocha Medeiros de Mello ◽  
Jucille do Amaral Meneses Meira de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Zika Virus ◽  
Joint Stiffness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Maternal Infection ◽  
Infection Period ◽  
Vaginal Deliveries ◽  
Congenital Zika Syndrome ◽  
Motor Nerves ◽  
Congenital Microcephaly ◽  
Peripheral Motor

Abstract Introduction: in 2015 an increasing number of congenital microcephaly cases were associated to maternal infection due to Zika virus. Some of these patients presented other alterations and arthrogryposis was the most frequently found. Arthrogryposis is defined as congenital joint contractures involving at least two different areas of the body. Description: arthrogryposis was found in 18 patients with congenital microcephaly due to Zika virus. 67% of the cases were vaginal deliveries. 50% of resuscitation performed in the delivery room was necessary. The mean birth weight was 2.371g, gestational age was 39 weeks and the head circumference was 28.3cm, 15 (83%) of these patients presented severe microcephaly. All the neonates resulted in concomitant hip joints and some also had knees, ankles and wrists affected. Nine neonates (50%) presented an early respiratory distress and four (22%) died due to respiratory failure. Discussion: the neurological result found in patients with Congenital Zika Syndrome seems to be associated to the maternal infection period. During the early stages of embryogenesis, in addition to microcephaly, could be related to the peripheral motor nerves leading to fetal akinesia, joint stiffness and arthrogryposis. These neonates tend to present greater morbimortality with the worst prognosis.

scholarly journals TRiC/CCT Complex, a Binding Partner of NS1 Protein, Supports the Replication of Zika Virus in Both Mammalians and Mosquitoes

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 519
Author(s):  
Yuchen Wang ◽  
Ryuta Uraki ◽  
Jesse Hwang ◽  
Erol Fikrig
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Host Factors ◽  
Ns1 Protein ◽  
Zikv Infection ◽  
Binding Partner ◽  
Promising Therapeutic Target ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Congenital Microcephaly

Mosquito-borne Zika virus (ZIKV) can cause congenital microcephaly and Guillain–Barré syndrome, among other symptoms. Specific treatments and vaccines for ZIKV are not currently available. To further understand the host factors that support ZIKV replication, we used mass spectrometry to characterize mammalian proteins that associate with the ZIKV NS1 protein and identified the TRiC/CCT complex as an interacting partner. Furthermore, the suppression of CCT2, one of the critical components of the TRiC/CCT complex, inhibited ZIKV replication in both mammalian cells and mosquitoes. These results highlight an important role for the TRiC/CCT complex in ZIKV infection, suggesting that the TRiC/CCT complex may be a promising therapeutic target.

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