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. 2019 Jan:147:e77.
doi: 10.1017/S095026881800359X.

Dengue, chikungunya and zika virus coinfection: results of the national surveillance during the zika epidemic in Colombia

Marcela Mercado-Reyes  1 , Jorge Acosta-Reyes  2 , Edgar Navarro-Lechuga  2 , Sherill Corchuelo  3 , Angélica Rico  3 , Edgar Parra  3 , Natalia Tolosa  4 , Lissethe Pardo  3 , Maritza González  4 , Jorge Martìn-Rodriguez-Hernández  5 , Luz Karime-Osorio  3 , Martha Ospina-Martinez  6 , Helena Rodriguez-Perea  1 , Gaspar Del Rio-Pertuz  7 , Diego Viasus  7
Affiliations

Dengue, chikungunya and zika virus coinfection: results of the national surveillance during the zika epidemic in Colombia

Marcela Mercado-Reyes et al. Epidemiol Infect. 2019 Jan.

Abstract

Our objective was to determine the frequency of zika (ZIKV), chikungunya (CHIKV) and dengue (DENV) virus coinfection and describe the mortality cases that occurred during the epidemiologic surveillance of the ZIKV epidemic in Colombia. We analysed all cases of suspected ZIKV infection that were reported to the National Institute of Health (October 2015-December 2016). DENV, CHIKV and ZIKV RNA were detected in serum or tissue samples using polymerase chain reaction assay. Medical records of the fatal cases were reviewed. We identified that 23 871 samples were processed. The frequency of viral agents was 439 (1.84%) for DENV, 257 (1.07%) for CHIKV and 10118 (42.38%) for ZIKV. Thirty-four (0.14%) cases of coinfection were identified. The CHIKV-ZIKV coinfection was present in 28 cases (82.3%), DENV-CHIKV in three (8.8%) and DENV-ZIKV in three (8.8%). Seven (20.6%) coinfection cases were fatal (two DENV-CHIKV cases and five CHIKV-ZIKV cases). Two cases were foetal deaths and the others were related to neurological syndrome and sepsis. In conclusion, the frequency of arbovirus coinfection during epidemic of ZIKV was low, and CHIKV-ZIKV coinfection was the most common. Mortality was high among coinfection patients. The role of each virus in the mortality cases of coinfection warrants further studies.

Keywords: Coinfection; chikungunya; dengue; mortality; zika.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
The distribution of patients with suspected infection by DENV, CHIKV and ZIKV reported to SIVIGILA during the ZIKV epidemic in Colombia (October 2015–December 2016). CHIKV, chikungunya virus; ZIKV, zika virus; DENV, dengue virus; SIVIGILA, National Surveillance System in Public Health.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Number of cases reported and processed at National Institute of Health during the ZIKV epidemic in Colombia (October 2015–December 2016). PCR, polymerase chain reaction.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Histopathological findings among fatal adult cases with DENV, CHIKV and/or ZIKV coinfection during the ZIKV epidemic in Colombia (October 2015–December 2016). (a) Tubulointerstitial nephritis, (b) acute motor axonal polyneuropathy and (c) acute pneumonia found in case 2; (d) acute demyelinating polyneuropathy from case 4; (e) necrosis surrounding hepatic vein in case 3; and (f) tubulointerstitial nephritis in case 1. Magnification: e (20×) and a–e, F (40×). CHIKV, chikungunya virus; ZIKV, zika virus; DENV, dengue virus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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