Characteristics, risk factors, and outcomes related to Zika virus infection during pregnancy in Northeastern Thailand: A prospective pregnancy cohort study, 2018–2020 (original) (raw)

2024, PLoS neglected tropical diseases

Background In response to the 2015-2016 Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak and the causal relationship established between maternal ZIKV infection and adverse infant outcomes, we conducted a cohort study to estimate the incidence of ZIKV infection in pregnancy and assess its impacts in women and infants. Methodology/Principal findings From May 2018-January 2020, we prospectively followed pregnant women recruited from 134 participating hospitals in two non-adjacent provinces in northeastern Thailand. We collected demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic data and blood and urine at routine antenatal care visits until delivery. ZIKV infections were confirmed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR). Specimens with confirmed ZIKV underwent whole genome sequencing. Among 3,312 women enrolled, 12 (0.36%) had ZIKV infections, of which two (17%) were detected at enrollment. Ten (83%, 3 in 2 nd and 7 in 3 rd trimester) ZIKV infections were detected during study follow-up, resulting in an infection rate of 0.15 per 1,000 person-PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES