| Content Provider |
World Health Organization (WHO)-Global Index Medicus |
| Author |
Pedi, Vaneide D. Serruya, Suzanne Henriques, Claudio M. P. Castro, Marcia C. Carmo, Eduardo H. Nunes, Marília L. Victora, Cesar G. Schuler-faccini, Lavinia Silveira, Mariângela F. França, Giovanny V. A. Oliveira, Wanderson K. Barros, Fernando C. |
| Spatial Coverage |
Brazil |
| Description |
Author Affiliation: França GV ( Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.); Schuler-Faccini L ( Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.); Oliveira WK ( Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.); Henriques CM ( Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.); Carmo EH ( Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.); Pedi VD ( Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.); Nunes ML ( Secretariat of Health Surveillance, Ministry of Health, Brasilia, Brazil.); Castro MC ( Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.); Serruya S ( Latin American Center for Perinatology, Women and Reproductive Health, Montevideo, Uruguay.); Silveira MF ( Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.); Barros FC ( Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil); Victora CG ( Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: cvictora@equidade.org.) |
| Abstract |
BACKGROUND: In November, 2015, an epidemic of microcephaly was reported in Brazil, which was later attributed to congenital Zika virus infection. 7830 suspected cases had been reported to the Brazilian Ministry of Health by June 4, 2016, but little is known about their characteristics. We aimed to describe these newborn babies in terms of clinical findings, anthropometry, and survival. METHODS: We reviewed all 1501 liveborn infants for whom investigation by medical teams at State level had been completed as of Feb 27, 2016, and classified suspected cases into five categories based on neuroimaging and laboratory results for Zika virus and other relevant infections. Definite cases had laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection; highly probable cases presented specific neuroimaging findings, and negative laboratory results for other congenital infections; moderately probable cases had specific imaging findings but other infections could not be ruled out; somewhat probable cases had imaging findings, but these were not reported in detail by the local teams; all other newborn babies were classified as discarded cases. Head circumference by gestational age was assessed with InterGrowth standards. First week mortality and history of rash were provided by the State medical teams. FINDINGS: Between Nov 19, 2015, and Feb 27, 2015, investigations were completed for 1501 suspected cases reported to the Brazilian Ministry of Health, of whom 899 were discarded. Of the remainder 602 cases, 76 were definite, 54 highly probable, 181 moderately probable, and 291 somewhat probable of congenital Zika virus syndrome. Clinical, anthropometric, and survival differences were small among the four groups. Compared with these four groups, the 899 discarded cases had larger head circumferences (mean Z scores -1·54 vs -3·13, difference 1·58 [95% CI 1·45-1·72]); lower first-week mortality (14 per 1000 vs 51 per 1000; rate ratio 0·28 [95% CI 0·14-0·56]); and were less likely to have a history of rash during pregnancy (20·7% vs 61·4%, ratio 0·34 [95% CI 0·27-0·42]). Rashes in the third trimester of pregnancy were associated with brain abnormalities despite normal sized heads. One in five definite or probable cases presented head circumferences in the normal range (above -2 SD below the median of the InterGrowth standard) and for one third of definite and probable cases there was no history of a rash during pregnancy. The peak of the epidemic occurred in late November, 2015. INTERPRETATION: Zika virus congenital syndrome is a new teratogenic disease. Because many definite or probable cases present normal head circumference values and their mothers do not report having a rash, screening criteria must be revised in order to detect all affected newborn babies. FUNDING: Brazilian Ministry of Health, Pan American Health Organization, and Wellcome Trust. |
| ISSN |
01406736 |
| e-ISSN |
1474547X |
| Journal |
The Lancet |
| Issue Number |
10047 |
| Volume Number |
388 |
| Language |
English |
| Publisher |
Elsevier |
| Publisher Date |
2016-08-27 |
| Publisher Place |
Great Britain (UK) |
| Access Restriction |
Open |
| Subject Keyword |
Microcephaly Epidemiology Virology Neuroimaging Pregnancy Complications, Infectious Zika Virus Infection Congenital Diagnosis Zika Virus Isolation & Purification Cephalometry Confounding Factors (Epidemiology) Exanthema Gestational Age Infant Infant Mortality Infant, Newborn Pathology Neonatal Screening Odds Ratio Pregnancy Pregnancy Trimester, Third Syndrome Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Medicine |
| Content Type |
Text |
| Resource Type |
Article |
| Subject |
Medicine |
