Individual protection measures and prevalence of antibodies against Zika virus in pregnant women in Rondônia, Brazil

Authors

• Cecília Julio Pires Universidade Federal do Acre https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1537-2731
• Aísla Carvalho Universidade Técnica Privada Cosmos https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4692-2414
• Adrielle Rodrigues Macedo Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Rondônia - Campus Guajará-Mirim https://orcid.org/0009-0008-8945-7571
• Micaele Justiniano Queiroz Lima Universidade Norte do Paraná https://orcid.org/0009-0001-2726-7026
• Isabelly Ferreira da Silva Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia de Rondônia - Campus Guajará-Mirim https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4290-2887
• Aline Ferreira da Costa Nery de Lima Universidade Federal de Rondônia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4682-668X
• Cícera Alexsandra Costa dos Santos Rocha Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3230-2276

Keywords:

Pregnant women, Arboviruses, Zika vírus, Prevention, Antibodies

Abstract

Introduction: Zika virus infection in pregnant women can be transmitted to the fetus, resulting in congenital brain abnormalities, impacting neurodevelopment, and causing other neurological complications in newborns that last a lifetime. Without vaccines or specific therapies, infection prevention is limited to vector control and personal prevention. Objective: To investigate the adoption of individual protective measures and the prevalence of antibodies against the Zika virus in pregnant women attending primary health care units. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Vale do Mamoré region of the state of Rondônia, in the North of Brazil. Interviews, physical examinations, and biological material collection took place during prenatal care. The detection of IgM class antibodies against the Zika virus was carried out by immunoenzymatic assay. Descriptive statistics were used for the sociodemographic characterization, clinical-gestational profile, and serology of the study participants and the Fisher's exact test for association of variables. Results: Sixty-six pregnant women attending primary health care units participated in the study. The results revealed that 89.1% of the participants reported not receiving guidance on Zika virus infection prevention during prenatal consultations. The measures reported to avoid mosquito bites were limited to the use of window screens and mosquito nets. Additionally, participants reported having unprotected water storage areas at home and living near vacant lots. The analysis revealed that 14.8% of the pregnant women had positive serology for the Zika virus and lacked characteristic symptoms of arbovirus infections. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of intensifying prevention guidance during prenatal care, aiming to increase awareness and the adoption of protective measures against Zika virus infection. This approach can play a crucial role in reducing transmission and protecting maternal and fetal health.

References

Principi N, Esposito S. Development of Vaccines against Emerging Mosquito-Vectored Arbovirus Infections. Vaccines (Basel). 2024 Jan 15;12(1):87. https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines12010087 PMID: 38250900

Scotto G, Massa S, Spirito F, Fazio V. Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome: Microcephaly and Orofacial Anomalies. Life (Basel). 2023 Dec 28;14(1):55. https://doi.org/10.3390/life14010055 PMID: 38255670

Ferreira JCCG, Christoff RR, Rabello T, Ferreira RO, Batista C, Mourão PJP, et al. Postnatal Zika virus infection leads to morphological and cellular alterations within the neurogenic niche. Dis Model Mech. 2024 Feb 1;17(2):dmm050375. https://doi.org/10.1242/dmm.050375 PMID: 38415826

Hindle S, Depatureaux A, Fortin-Dion S, Dieumegard H, Renaud C, Therrien C, et al. Zika virus infection during pregnancy and vertical transmission: case reports and peptide-specific cell-mediated immune responses. Arch Virol [Internet]. 2024 Jan 20 [cited 2024 Jan 23];169(2):32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00705-023-05952-x

Bernardo-Menezes LC, Agrelli A, de Oliveira ASLE, de Moura RR, Crovella S, Brandão LAC. An overview of Zika virus genotypes and their infectivity. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop [Internet]. [cited 2024 Jan 23];55:e0263-2022. https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0263-2022 PMID: 36197380

de Sales-Neto JM, Madruga Carvalho DC, Arruda Magalhães DW, Araujo Medeiros AB, Soares MM, Rodrigues-Mascarenhas S. Zika virus: Antiviral immune response, inflammation, and cardiotonic steroids as antiviral agents. International Immunopharmacology [Internet]. 2024 Jan 25 [cited 2024 Jan 23];127:111368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intimp.2023.111368

Puccioni-Sohler M, Nascimento Soares C, Christo PP, Almeida SM de. Review of dengue, zika and chikungunya infections in nervous system in endemic areas. Arq Neuropsiquiatr [Internet]. 2023 Dec 29 [cited 2024 Jan 23];81(12):1112–24. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-1777104 PMID: 38157877

Brasil. Situação Epidemiológica [Internet]. Ministério da Saúde. 2024 [cited 2024 Jan 23]. https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/assuntos/saude-de-a-a-z/z/zika-virus/situacao-epidemiologica (accessed 2024 Jan 23)

Ossa DPS, Melo HP, Arouca KLD, Baldoino FRR, Oliveira EM de, Silva VP, et al. Arbovírus circulantes no Brasil: fatores associados com a disseminação e estratégias terapêuticas | Revista Eletrônica Acervo Saúde. 2019 Oct 25 [cited 2024 Jan 23]; https://doi.org/10.25248/reas.e1067.2019

Howard-Jones AR, Pham D, Sparks R, Maddocks S, Dwyer DE, Kok J, et al. Arthropod-Borne Flaviviruses in Pregnancy. Microorganisms [Internet]. 2023 Feb 8 [cited 2024 Jan 23];11(2):433. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms11020433 PMID: 36838398

Lima FM da S, Iriart JAB. Significados, percepção de risco e estratégias de prevenção de gestantes após o surgimento do Zika vírus no Brasil. Cad Saúde Pública [Internet]. 2021 Feb 22 [cited 2024 Feb 14];37:e00145819. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311X00145819

Sousa CA de, Mendes D do CO, Mufato LF, Queirós P de S. Zika vírus: conhecimentos, percepções, e práticas de cuidados de gestantes infectadas. Rev Gaúcha Enferm [Internet]. 2018 Oct 22 [cited 2024 Feb 9];39:e20180025. https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-1447.2018.20180025

Melo VAD, Silva JRS, Corte RL. Medidas de proteção individual de gestantes contra a infecção pelo zika vírus. Rev Saúde Pública [Internet]. 2019 Aug 23 [cited 2024 Jan 9];53. https://doi.org/10.11606/s1518-8787.2019053001146

Brasil. Zika Vírus [Internet]. Ministério da Saúde. 2024 [cited 2024 Feb 14]. https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/assuntos/saude-de-a-a-z/z/zika-virus/zika-virus (accessed 2024 Feb 14)

Ogwuche J, Chang CA, Ige O, Sagay AS, Chaplin B, Kahansim ML, et al. Arbovirus surveillance in pregnant women in north-central Nigeria, 2019–2022. Journal of Clinical Virology [Internet]. 2023 Dec 1 [cited 2024 Feb 14];169:105616. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2023.105616

Martínez-Arias A, Valerio L, Roure-Díez S, Fernández-Rivas G, Rivaya B, Pérez-Olmeda MT, et al. Zika virus screening during pregnancy: Results and lessons learned from a screening program and a post-delivery follow-up analysis (2016–2022). Birth Defects Research [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2024 Feb 14];115(17):1646–57. https://doi.org/10.1002/bdr2.2236

Brasil, Trata. Painel Saneamento Brasil - Minha Localidade - Indicadores [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2024 Feb 13]. https://www.painelsaneamento.org.br/localidade/index?id=11 (accessed 2024 Feb 13)

Diniz D. Vírus Zika e mulheres. Cad Saúde Pública [Internet]. 2016 May 13 [cited 2024 Feb 14];32:e00046316. https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311X00046316

Carvalho LP. Vírus Zika e direitos reprodutivos: entre as políticas transnacionais, as nacionais e as ações locais. Cadernos de Gênero e Diversidade [Internet]. 2017 Jul 30 [cited 2024 Feb 14];3(2). https://doi.org/10.9771/cgd.v3i2.22030

Jagger BW, Miner JJ, Cao B, Arora N, Smith AM, Kovacs A, et al. Gestational stage and IFN-λ signaling regulate ZIKV infection in utero. Cell Host Microbe [Internet]. 2017 Sep 13 [cited 2024 Feb 14];22(3):366-376.e3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2017.08.012 PMID: 28910635

Duarte G, Moron AF, Timerman A, Fernandes CE, Mariani C, Almeida GL de, et al. Zika Virus Infection in Pregnant Women and Microcephaly. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet [Internet]. 2017 May [cited 2024 Feb 14];39:235–48. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0037-1603450

Terra AP, Rohweder R, Herber S, Friedrich L, Sanseverino MTV, Favreto C, et al. Microcephaly in South Brazil: Are cases of Congenital Zika Syndrome increasing in recent years? Genet Mol Biol [Internet]. [cited 2024 Feb 14];46(3 Suppl 1):e20230191. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4685-GMB-2023-0191 PMID: 38252061

Rodrigues RRN, Grisotti M. Comunicando sobre Zika: recomendações de prevenção em contextos de incertezas. Interface (Botucatu) [Internet]. 2019 Sep 12 [cited 2024 Feb 9];23:e190140. https://doi.org/10.1590/Interface.190140