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Journal ArticleDOI

Zika virus outbreak on Yap Island, Federated States of Micronesia.

TL;DR: This outbreak of Zika virus illness in Micronesia represents transmission of Zikairus outside Africa and Asia and clinicians and public health officials should be aware of the risk of further expansion of Zika viruses transmission.
Abstract: BACKGROUND In 2007, physicians on Yap Island reported an outbreak of illness characterized by rash, conjunctivitis, and arthralgia. Although serum from some patients had IgM antibody against dengue virus, the illness seemed clinically distinct from previously detected dengue. Subsequent testing with the use of consensus primers detected Zika virus RNA in the serum of the patients but no dengue virus or other arboviral RNA. No previous outbreaks and only 14 cases of Zika virus disease have been previously documented. METHODS We obtained serum samples from patients and interviewed patients for information on clinical signs and symptoms. Zika virus disease was confirmed by a finding of Zika virus RNA or a specific neutralizing antibody response to Zika virus in the serum. Patients with IgM antibody against Zika virus who had a potentially cross-reactive neutralizing-antibody response were classified as having probable Zika virus disease. We conducted a household survey to estimate the proportion of Yap residents with IgM antibody against Zika virus and to identify possible mosquito vectors of Zika virus. RESULTS We identified 49 confirmed and 59 probable cases of Zika virus disease. The patients resided in 9 of the 10 municipalities on Yap. Rash, fever, arthralgia, and conjunctivitis were common symptoms. No hospitalizations, hemorrhagic manifestations, or deaths due to Zika virus were reported. We estimated that 73% (95% confidence interval, 68 to 77) of Yap residents 3 years of age or older had been recently infected with Zika virus. Aedes hensilli was the predominant mosquito species identified. CONCLUSIONS This outbreak of Zika virus illness in Micronesia represents transmission of Zika virus outside Africa and Asia. Although most patients had mild illness, clinicians and public health officials should be aware of the risk of further expansion of Zika virus transmission.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The case of an expectant mother who had a febrile illness with rash at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy while she was living in Brazil and revealed microcephaly with calcifications in the fetal brain and placenta is described.
Abstract: Summary A widespread epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection was reported in 2015 in South and Central America and the Caribbean. A major concern associated with this infection is the apparent increased incidence of microcephaly in fetuses born to mothers infected with ZIKV. In this report, we describe the case of an expectant mother who had a febrile illness with rash at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy while she was living in Brazil. Ultrasonography performed at 29 weeks of gestation revealed microcephaly with calcifications in the fetal brain and placenta. After the mother requested termination of the pregnancy, a fetal autopsy was performed. Micrencephaly (an abnormally small brain) was observed, with almost complete agyria, hydrocephalus, and multifocal dystrophic calcifications in the cortex and subcortical white matter, with associated cortical displacement and mild focal inflammation. ZIKV was found in the fetal brain tissue on reversetranscriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assay, with consistent findings on electron microscopy. The complete genome of ZIKV was recovered from the fetal brain.

2,403 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This is the first study providing evidence for Zika virus infection causing Guillain-Barré syndrome, and because Zika virus is spreading rapidly across the Americas, at risk countries need to prepare for adequate intensive care beds capacity to manage patients with Guillay-B Barré syndrome.

1,925 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that a causal relationship exists between prenatal Zika virus infection and microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies and needs to intensify efforts toward the prevention of adverse outcomes caused by congenital Zika virus infections.
Abstract: Summary The Zika virus has spread rapidly in the Americas since its first identification in Brazil in early 2015. Prenatal Zika virus infection has been linked to adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, most notably microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies. To determine whether Zika virus infection during pregnancy causes these adverse outcomes, we evaluated available data using criteria that have been proposed for the assessment of potential teratogens. On the basis of this review, we conclude that a causal relationship exists between prenatal Zika virus infection and microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies. Evidence that was used to support this causal relationship included Zika virus infection at times during prenatal development that were consistent with the defects observed; a specific, rare phenotype involving microcephaly and associated brain anomalies in fetuses or infants with presumed or confirmed congenital Zika virus infection; and data that strongly support biologic plausibility, including the identification of Zika virus in the brain tissue of affected fetuses and infants. Given the recognition of this causal relationship, we need to intensify our efforts toward the prevention of adverse outcomes caused by congenital Zika virus infection. However, many questions that are critical to our prevention efforts remain, including the spectrum of defects caused by prenatal Zika virus infection, the degree of relative and absolute risks of adverse outcomes among fetuses whose mothers were infected at different times during pregnancy, and factors that might affect a woman’s risk of adverse pregnancy or birth outcomes. Addressing these questions will improve our ability to reduce the burden of the effects of Zika virus infection during pregnancy.

1,692 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Viruses such as dengue (DENV) and chikungunya (CHIKV) that have lost the requirement for enzootic amplification now produce extensive epidemics in tropical urban centers, and climate warming could facilitate the expansion of the distributions of many arboviruses.

1,250 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Observation supports the possibility that ZIKV could be transmitted sexually in women during pregnancy and during sexual intercourse.
Abstract: In December 2013, during a Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak in French Polynesia, a patient in Tahiti sought treatment for hematospermia, and ZIKV was isolated from his semen. ZIKV transmission by sexual intercourse has been previously suspected. This observation supports the possibility that ZIKV could be transmitted sexually.

1,085 citations

References
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Book
22 May 1997
TL;DR: This book presents the principles of Estimation for Finite Populations and Important Sampling Designs and a Broader View of Errors in Surveys: Nonsampling Errors and Extensions of Probability Sampling Theory.
Abstract: PART I: Principles of Estimation for Finite Populations and Important Sampling Designs: Survey Sampling in Theory and Practice. Basic Ideas in Estimation from Probability Samples. Unbiased Estimation for Element Sampling Designs. Unbiased Estimation for Cluster Sampling and Sampling in Two or More Stages. Introduction to More Complex Estimation Problems.- PART II: Estimation through Linear Modeling, Using Auxiliary Variables: The Regression Estimator. Regression Estimators for Element Sampling Designs. Regression Estimators for Cluster Sampling and Two-Stage Sampling.- PART III: Further Questions in Design and Analysis of Surveys: Two-Phase Sampling. Estimation for Domains. Variance Estimation. Searching for Optimal Sampling Designs. Further Statistical Techniques for Survey Data.- PART IV: A Broader View of Errors in Surveys: Nonsampling Errors and Extensions of Probability Sampling Theory. Nonresponse. Measurement Errors. Quality Declarations for Survey Data.- Appendix A - D.- References.

3,197 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The full coding region nucleic acid sequence and serologic properties of the virus were identified and the virus was identified as Crimean-Congo-Wales coronavirus.
Abstract: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus first isolated in Uganda from a sentinel monkey in 1947. Mosquito and sentinel animal surveillance studies have demonstrated that ZIKV is endemic to Africa and Southeast Asia, yet reported human cases are rare, with <10 cases reported in the literature. In June 2007, an epidemic of fever and rash associated with ZIKV was detected in Yap State, Federated States of Micronesia. We report the genetic and serologic properties of the ZIKV associated with this epidemic.

1,944 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The accumulated data demonstrated that dengue viruses can be accurately detected and typed from viremic human serum samples.
Abstract: We report on the development and application of a rapid assay for detecting and typing dengue viruses. Oligonucleotide consensus primers were designed to anneal to any of the four dengue virus types and amplify a 511-bp product in a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). First, we produced a cDNA copy of a portion of the viral genome in a reverse transcriptase reaction in the presence of primer D2 and then carried out a standard PCR (35 cycles of heat denaturation, annealing, and primer extension) with the addition of primer D1. The resulting double-stranded DNA product of the RT-PCR was typed by two methods: dot blot hybridization of the 511-bp amplified product to dengue virus type-specific probes or a second round of PCR amplification (nested PCR) with type-specific primers, yielding DNA products the unique sizes of which were diagnostic for each dengue virus serotype. The accumulated data demonstrated that dengue viruses can be accurately detected and typed from viremic human serum samples.

1,718 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The phylogenetic study revealed for the first time that from the putative ancestor two branches, non-vector and vector-borne virus clusters, evolved and from the latter cluster emerged tick-borne and mosquito-borne viruses clusters.
Abstract: We undertook a comprehensive phylogenetic study to establish the genetic relationship among the viruses of the genus Flavivirus and to compare the classification based on molecular phylogeny with the existing serologic method. By using a combination of quantitative definitions (bootstrap support level and the pairwise nucleotide sequence identity), the viruses could be classified into clusters, clades, and species. Our phylogenetic study revealed for the first time that from the putative ancestor two branches, non-vector and vector-borne virus clusters, evolved and from the latter cluster emerged tick-borne and mosquito-borne virus clusters. Provided that the theory of arthropod association being an acquired trait was correct, pairwise nucleotide sequence identity among these three clusters provided supporting data for a possibility that the non-vector cluster evolved first, followed by the separation of tick-borne and mosquito-borne virus clusters in that order. Clades established in our study correlated significantly with existing antigenic complexes. We also resolved many of the past taxonomic problems by establishing phylogenetic relationships of the antigenically unclassified viruses with the well-established viruses and by identifying synonymous viruses.

1,049 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The recently established virus family Flaviviridae contains at least 68 recognized members; sixty-six of these viruses were tested by cross-neutralization in cell cultures and 17 other viruses were not sufficiently related to warrant inclusion in any of these complexes.
Abstract: The recently established virus family Flaviviridae contains at least 68 recognized members. Sixty-six of these viruses were tested by cross-neutralization in cell cultures. Flaviviruses were separated into eight complexes [tick-borne encephalitis (12 viruses), Rio Bravo (six), Japanese encephalitis (10), Tyuleniy (three), Ntaya (five), Uganda S (four), dengue (four) and Modoc (five)] containing 49 viruses; 17 other viruses were not sufficiently related to warrant inclusion in any of these complexes.

858 citations

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