Evidence of Zika Virus Reinfection by Genome Diversity and Antibody Response Analysis, Brazil

Abstract

We generated 238 Zika virus (ZIKV) genomes from 135 persons in Brazil who had samples collected over 1 year to evaluate virus persistence. Phylogenetic inference clustered the genomes together with previously reported ZIKV strains from northern Brazil, showing that ZIKV has been remained relatively stable over time. Temporal phylogenetic analysis revealed limited within-host diversity among most ZIKV-persistent infected associated samples. However, we detected unusual virus temporal diversity from > 5 persons, uncovering the existence of divergent genomes within the same patient. All those patients showed an increase in neutralizing antibody levels, followed by a decline at the convalescent phase of ZIKV infection. Of interest, in 3 of those patients, titers of neutralizing antibodies increased again after 6 months of ZIKV infection, concomitantly with real-time reverse transcription PCR re-positivity, supporting ZIKV reinfection events. Altogether, our findings provide evidence for the existence of ZIKV reinfection events.

Predicting Efficacy of a Purified Inactivated Zika Virus Vaccine in Flavivirus-Naïve Humans Using an Immunological Correlate of Protection in Non-Human Primates

“…It is generally assumed that ZIKV natural infection induces life-long protective immunity, although a recent genome diversity and antibody response analysis seems to provide some evidence for the existence of ZIKV mild/asymptomatic reinfections [ 73 ]. In any case, 1-year duration of protection in NHPs suggests that, despite a decline in NAbs from study day 57 to 85 [ 54 ], the predicted high efficacy of TAK-426 in humans could be sustained for at least 1 year.…”