Absence of Evidence of Zika Virus Infection in Cord Blood and Urine from Newborns with Congenital Abnormalities, Indonesia

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently been confirmed as endemic in Indonesia, but no congenital anomalies (CA) related to ZIKV infection have been reported. We performed molecular and serological testing for ZIKV and other flaviviruses on cord serum and urine samples collected in October 2016 to April 2017 during a prospective, cross-sectional study of neonates in Jakarta, Indonesia. Of a total of 429 neonates, 53 had CA, including 14 with microcephaly. These 53, and 113 neonate controls without evidence of CA, were tested by ZIKV-specific real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), pan-flavivirus RT-PCR, anti-ZIKV and anti-DENV IgM ELISA, and plaque reduction neutralization test. There was no evidence of ZIKV infection among neonates in either the CA or non-CA cohorts, except in three cases with low titers of anti-ZIKV neutralizing antibodies. Further routine evaluation throughout Indonesia of pregnant women and their newborns for exposure to ZIKV should be a high priority for determining risk.

Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction: Current Techniques, Applications, and Role in COVID-19 Diagnosis

“…Pathogenic viruses such as Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) [ 45 ], Zika virus (ZIKV) [ 61 ], human adenoviruses [ 46 ], and others have been identified using the real-time PCR approach. For CHIKV detection, viral RNA was isolated and used as a template for CHIKV quantitative RT-PCR [ 45 ] using primers targeting the nonstructural protein 1 gene [ 44 ].…”

“…For CHIKV detection, viral RNA was isolated and used as a template for CHIKV quantitative RT-PCR [ 45 ] using primers targeting the nonstructural protein 1 gene [ 44 ]. Similarly, ZIKV-specific real-time RT-PCR can also be applied to provide evidence of ZIKV infection [ 61 ] using primer sets specific to particular sequences within the ZIKV genome [ 62 ]. A practical in-house real-time PCR assay was developed for the detection of human adenovirus from viral swabs [ 46 ].…”

Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity of Zika Virus Transmission in Indonesia: Serosurveillance Data from a Pediatric Population

“…The lack thus far of evidence for ZIKV as a cause of congenital defects in Indonesia might be a result, in part, of many adults having been immunized naturally as children. 16 A fuller understanding of the risk and burden of ZIKV is necessary everywhere it occurs.…”