Zika virus infection in French Polynesia

Abstract

International audienceOn Feb 1, WHO issued an alert1 on the potential fetal consequences of the Zika virus outbreak after the Brazilian authorities reported an abnormal increase in the number of cases of neonates born with microcephaly.2 Although no causal link could be clearly established, circumstantial evidence was considered worrisome enough for several countries to discourage pregnant women from travelling to Central and South America.

Emerging Role of Zika Virus in Adverse Fetal and Neonatal Outcomes

“…Microcephaly, severe abnormalities of midline structures and the cerebellum, as well as abnormal gyration were observed. The same group of authors published another series of 19 cases that were similar (198), without any mention of their previous study (197).…”

“…Following the Brazilian alert on possible fetal brain damage secondary to ZIKV, 6 available stored amniotic fluid samples were retrospectively tested using RT-PCR. Among those, 4 were positive ZIKV and viral symptoms during the first trimester of pregnancy were reported retrospectively in 3 of the 4 cases (197). Microcephaly, severe abnormalities of midline structures and the cerebellum, as well as abnormal gyration were observed.…”

“…The five remaining cases were infants with brainstem dysfunction and absence of swallowing. More data regarding these cases was later published by Jouannic et al (197). Following the Brazilian alert on possible fetal brain damage secondary to ZIKV, 6 available stored amniotic fluid samples were retrospectively tested using RT-PCR.…”

Association between Zika virus infection and microcephaly in Brazil, January to May, 2016: preliminary report of a case-control study

“…5 Since the hypothesis that the microcephaly epidemic in Brazil is caused by congenital Zika virus infection was fi rst proposed, 6 there has been an accumulation of evidence supporting the association. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] The relation between Zika virus and birth defects is strong enough to be deemed causal, but the argument would be stronger if confi rmed by at least one case-control study and a cohort study. 18 Indeed, the evidence so far comes from case reports, 16 case series, 19,20 modelling studies, 17 and the preliminary report of a cohort study.…”

One year after the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil: from hypotheses to evidence

“…However, in November 2015 after the Brazilian alert, 17 cases involving changes in the central nervous system were recognized, including 12 cases of microcephaly (31) (49) . In March 2016, ZIKV was confirmed by RT-PCR performed on the stored amniotic fluid samples of 4 of these cases (50) . In the following months, other studies were published confirming the association.…”