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Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil

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A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Viruses".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 21200

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Luciana Barros de Arruda

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Guest Editor

Departamento de Virologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
Interests: zika virus; HIV; dengue virus; endothelial cells; vaccines
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Maurício L. Nogueira

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Guest Editor

Faculdade de Medicina de Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, Brazil
Interests: zika virus; Flaviviridae; dengue vaccines

Prof. Dr. Renato Santana de Aguiar

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Guest Editor

Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
Interests: zika virus; flavivirus; dengue vaccines

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Zika virus (ZIKV) has recently emerged as a global public health concern after the outbreaks in the Pacific in 2007 and 2014, followed by its dissemination from Brazil throughout the Americas, showing its epidemic potential. Brazilian clinicians and researchers have promptly responded to this threat by detecting new transmission pathways and clinical outcomes, especially regarding the congenital zika syndrome and its associated neuropathophysiology. Despite the slowing number of cases, outbreaks are being continuously reported around the globe, and there is still no effective treatment or prevention against disease.

Conceding that research on zika virus has greatly helped to improve global knowledge regarding flaviviruses biology, diagnosis and pathogenesis, and confident that progressing public health policies to protect from zika virus spread and disease can only be achieved by high quality science, we encourage our colleagues to submit articles to this Special Issue on “Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil”.

We welcome original research, comments, case reports, and reviews related to virus surveillance and evolution, virus–host interaction mechanisms, immune response, diagnosis, pathogenesis, clinical aspects, epidemiology, treatment, and prevention.

Prof. Dr. Luciana Barros de Arruda
Prof. Dr. Maurício L. Nogueira
Prof. Dr. Renato Santana de Aguiar
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

zika
virus replication
immune response
diagnosis
vaccine
antiviral

Published Papers (11 papers)

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12 pages, 722 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth Velocity and Nutritional Status in Children Exposed to Zika Virus during Pregnancy from Amazonas Cohort, Brazil

by Lucíola de Fátima Albuquerque de Almeida Peixoto, Marília Rosa Abtibol-Bernardino, Cecilia Victoria Caraballo Guerra, Geruza Alfaia de Oliveira, Beatriz Caroline Soares Chaves, Cristina de Souza Rodrigues, Anny Beatriz Costa Antony de Andrade, Elijane de Fátima Redivo, Salete Sara Alvarez Fernandes, Rodrigo Haruo Otani, Alexandre Vilhena da Silva Neto, Antônio Alcirley da Silva Balieiro, Celso Rômulo Barbosa Cabral, Djane Baia-da-Silva, Márcia da Costa Castilho, Camila Helena Bôtto-Menezes, Maria das Graças Costa Alecrim, Maria do Carmo Leal, Silvana Gomes Benzecry and Flor Ernestina Martinez-Espinosa

Viruses 2023, 15(3), 662; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15030662 - 01 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1982

Abstract

The high incidence of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection in the period of 2015–2016 in Brazil may have affected linear height growth velocity (GV) in children exposed in utero to ZIKV. This study describes the growth velocity and nutritional status based on the World Organization (WHO) standards of children exposed to ZIKV during pregnancy and followed up in a tertiary unit, a reference for tropical and infectious diseases in the Amazon. Seventy-one children born between March 2016 and June 2018 were monitored for anthropometric indices: z-score for body mass index (BMI/A); weight (W/A); height (H/A) and head circumference (HC/A); and growth velocity. The mean age at the last assessment was 21.1 months (SD ± 8.93). Four children had congenital microcephaly and severe neurological impairment. The other 67 were non-microcephalic children (60 normocephalic and 7 macrocephalic); of these; 24.2% (16 children) had neurological alterations, and 28.8% (19 children) had altered neuropsychomotor development. Seventeen (24.2%) children had inadequate GV (low growth velocity). The frequencies of low growth among microcephalic and non-microcephalic patients are 25% (1 of 4 children) and 23.9% (16 of 67 children); respectively. Most children had normal BMI/A values during follow-up. Microcephalic patients showed low H/A and HC/A throughout the follow-up, with a significant reduction in the HC/A z-score. Non-microcephalic individuals are within the regular ranges for H/A; HC/A; and W/A, except for the H/A score for boys. This study showed low growth velocity in children with and without microcephaly, highlighting the need for continuous evaluation of all children born to mothers exposed to ZIKV during pregnancy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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20 pages, 2230 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Zika Virus NS1-Derived Peptides with Potential Applications in Serological Tests

by Carlos Roberto Prudencio, Vivaldo Gomes da Costa, Leticia Barboza Rocha, Hernan Hermes Monteiro Costa, Diego José Belato Orts, Felipe Rocha da Silva Santos, Paula Rahal, Nikolas Alexander Borsato Lino, Pâmela Jóyce Previdelli da Conceição, Cintia Bittar, Rafael Rahal Guaragna Machado, Edison Luiz Durigon, João Pessoa Araujo, Jr., Juliana Moutinho Polatto, Miriam Aparecida da Silva, Joyce Araújo de Oliveira, Thais Mitsunari, Lennon Ramos Pereira, Robert Andreata-Santos, Luís Carlos de Souza Ferreira, Daniela Luz and Roxane Maria Fontes Piazza Show full author list Hide full author list

Viruses 2023, 15(3), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15030654 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2220

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito-borne pathogen, is an emerging arbovirus associated with sporadic symptomatic cases of great medical concern, particularly among pregnant women and newborns affected with neurological disorders. Serological diagnosis of ZIKV infection is still an unmet challenge due to the co-circulation of the dengue virus, which shares extensive sequence conservation of structural proteins leading to the generation of cross-reactive antibodies. In this study, we aimed to obtain tools for the development of improved serological tests for the detection of ZIKV infection. Polyclonal sera (pAb) and a monoclonal antibody (mAb 2F2) against a recombinant form of the ZIKV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) allowed the identification of linear peptide epitopes of the NS1 protein. Based on these findings, six chemically synthesized peptides were tested both in dot blot and ELISA assays using convalescent sera collected from ZIKV-infected patients. Two of these peptides specifically detected the presence of ZIKV antibodies and proved to be candidates for the detection of ZIKV-infected subjects. The availability of these tools opens perspectives for the development of NS1-based serological tests with enhanced sensitivity regarding other flaviviruses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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21 pages, 3291 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Zika Virus Infection Damages the Testes in Pubertal Common Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri collinsi)

by Gabriela da Costa Benchimol, Josye Bianca Santos, Ana Sophia da Costa Lopes, Karol Guimarães Oliveira, Eviny Sayuri Trindade Okada, Bianca Nascimento de Alcantara, Washington Luiz Assunção Pereira, Danuza Leite Leão, Ana Cristina Carneiro Martins, Liliane Almeida Carneiro, Aline Amaral Imbeloni, Sheila Tetsume Makiama, Luiz Paulo Printes Albarelli de Castro, Leandro Nassar Coutinho, Lívia Medeiros Neves Casseb, Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos, Sheyla Farhayldes Souza Domingues, Daniele Barbosa de Almeida Medeiros and Sarah Raphaella Rocha de Azevedo Scalercio

Viruses 2023, 15(3), 615; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15030615 - 23 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1847

Abstract

During the Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreak and after evidence of its sexual transmission was obtained, concerns arose about the impact of the adverse effects of ZIKV infection on human fertility. In this study, we evaluated the clinical-laboratory aspects and testicular histopathological patterns of pubertal squirrel monkeys (Saimiri collinsi) infected with ZIKV, analyzing the effects at different stages of infection. The susceptibility of S. collinsi to ZIKV infection was confirmed by laboratory tests, which detected viremia (mean 1.63 × 10⁶ RNA copies/µL) and IgM antibody induction. Reduced fecal testosterone levels, severe testicular atrophy and prolonged orchitis were observed throughout the experiment by ultrasound. At 21 dpi, testicular damage associated with ZIKV was confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses. Tubular retraction, the degeneration and necrosis of somatic and germ cells in the seminiferous tubules, the proliferation of interstitial cells and an inflammatory infiltrate were observed. ZIKV antigen was identified in the same cells where tissue injuries were observed. In conclusion, squirrel monkeys were found to be susceptible to the Asian variant of ZIKV, and this model enabled the identification of multifocal lesions in the seminiferous tubules of the infected group evaluated. These findings may suggest an impact of ZIKV infection on male fertility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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12 pages, 623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Would Zika virus Infection in Pregnancy Be a Sentence of Poor Neurological Prognosis for Exposed Children? Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in a Cohort from Brazilian Amazon

by Marília Rosa Abtibol-Bernardino, Lucíola de Fátima Albuquerque de Almeida Peixoto, Marcia da Costa Castilho, Camila Helena Aguiar Bôtto-Menezes, Silvana Gomes Benzecry, Rodrigo Haruo Otani, Gabriela Ribeiro Ivo Rodrigues, Beatriz Caroline Soares Chaves, Geruza Alfaia de Oliveira, Cristina de Souza Rodrigues, Flor Ernestina Martinez-Espinosa and Maria das Graças Costa Alecrim

Viruses 2022, 14(12), 2659; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122659 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2337

Abstract

Infections with Flavivirus in pregnant women are not associated with vertical transmission. However, in 2015, severe cases of congenital infection were reported during the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil. More subtle infections in children born to mothers with ZIKV still remain uncertain and the spectrum of this new congenital syndrome is still under construction. This study describes outcomes regarding neurodevelopment and neurological examination in the first years of life, of a cohort of 77 children born to pregnant women with ZIKV infection in Manaus, Brazil, from 2017 to 2020. In the group of normocephalic children (92.2%), most showed satisfactory performance in neuropsychomotor development, with a delay in 29.6% and changes in neurological examination in 27.1%, with two children showing muscle-strength deficits. All microcephalic children (5.2%) evolved with severe neuropsychomotor-development delay, spastic tetraparesis, and alterations in the imaging exam. In this cohort, 10.5% of the children had macrocephaly at birth, but only 2.6% remained in this classification. Although microcephaly has been considered as the main marker of congenital-Zika-virus syndrome in previous studies, its absence does not exclude the possibility of the syndrome. This highlights the importance of clinical follow-up, regardless of the classification of head circumference at birth. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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8 pages, 274 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Acquired Hip Dysplasia in Children with Congenital Zika Virus Infection in the First Four Years of Life

by Marcos Vinicius da Silva Pone, Tallita Oliveira Gomes da Silva, Carla Trevisan Martins Ribeiro, Elisa Barroso de Aguiar, Pedro Henrique Barros Mendes, Saint Clair dos Santos Gomes Junior, Tatiana Hamanaka, Andrea Araujo Zin, José Paulo Pereira Junior, Maria Elisabeth Lopes Moreira, Karin Nielsen-Saines and Sheila Moura Pone

Viruses 2022, 14(12), 2643; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14122643 - 26 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1267

Abstract

Acquired hip dysplasia has been described in children with cerebral palsy (CP); periodic surveillance is recommended in this population to prevent hip displacement and dislocation. Children with congenital zika syndrome (CZS) may present a spectrum of neurological impairments with changes in tonus, posture, and movement similar to children with CP. However, the relationship between CZS and hip dysplasia has not been characterized. In this prospective cohort study, we aimed to describe the occurrence of hip dysplasia in patients with CZS. Sixty-four children with CZS from 6 to 48 months of age were included and followed at a tertiary referral center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with periodic radiologic and clinical hip assessments. Twenty-six (41%) patients were diagnosed with hip dysplasia during follow-up; mean age at diagnosis was 23 months. According to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), 58 (91%) patients had severe impairment (GMFCS IV and V) at the first evaluation. All patients with progression to hip dysplasia had microcephaly and were classified as GMFCS IV or V. Pain and functional limitation were reported by 22 (84%) caregivers of children with hip dysplasia. All patients were referred to specialized orthopedic care; eight (31%) underwent surgical treatment during follow-up. Our findings highlight the importance of implementing a hip surveillance program and improving access to orthopedic treatment for children with CZS in order to decrease the chances of dysplasia-related complications and improve quality of life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

11 pages, 433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterizing Disabilities in Preschool Aged Children with Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome with the ICF Model

by Laura Cristina Machado Ribeiro de Souza, Carla Trevisan Martins Ribeiro, Tatiana Hamanaka, Luciana Castaneda Ribeiro, Nathália Crsitina Oliveira de Souza, Sheila Moura Pone, Karin Nielsen-Saines, Elizabeth B. Brickley, Maria Elisabeth Lopes Moreira and Marcos Vinicius da Silva Pone

Viruses 2022, 14(10), 2108; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14102108 - 23 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2075

Abstract

Understanding functioning and disabilities in children with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is essential for health planning. We describe disabilities present in children with CZS followed in a reference hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, based on the biopsychosocial model of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). This was a cohort study of children >3 years of age with CZS. Disability was characterized through outcomes related to ICF components assessed via clinical and motor development evaluations. Among 50 children, with a median age of 40 months, 47 (94%) presented with severe impairment and 46 (92%) had microcephaly. Damage to the head and neck was found in most children, with abnormal central nervous system imaging universally present. Most children had cognitive impairment (92%), muscle tone problems (90%), and speech deficits (94%). We found movement limitations in all categories but more pervasively (80–94%), in postural transfers and displacements. The main environmental factors identified in the ICF model were the use of products or substances for personal consumption and access to health services. Children with CZS have extremely high rates of disability beyond aged 3 years, particularly regarding motor activity. ICF-based models can contribute to the assessment of health domains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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20 pages, 8044 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Selection and Characterization of Single-Stranded DNA Aptamers of Diagnostic Potential against the Whole Zika Virus

by Liliane Monteiro de Morais, Thiago Santos Chaves, Marco Alberto Medeiros, Kaique Alves Brayner Pereira, Patrícia Barbosa Jurgilas, Sheila Maria Barbosa de Lima, Sotiris Missailidis and Ana Maria Bispo de Filippis

Viruses 2022, 14(9), 1867; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14091867 - 25 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1635

Abstract

Zika virus became a major public health problem in early 2015, when cases of Guillain–Barré syndrome and microcephaly were associated with viral infection. Currently, ZIKV is endemic in all tropical areas of the world, and the chance for future Zika epidemics remains very real and accurate diagnosis is crucial. The aim of this work was to select specific ssDNA aptamers that bind to the entire Zika virus and can be used to compose specific diagnostics, without cross-reactivity with other flaviviruses. Zika virus was cultivated in Vero cells and used as a target for aptamer selection. Aptamers specific for the ZIKV were selected using whole-virus SELEX, with counterselection for other flavivirus. Secondary and tertiary structures were evaluated and the molecular anchoring between the aptamers and target were simulated by the HDOCK server. Aptamer interaction was evaluated by ELISA/ELASA and the dissociation constant (Kd) was calculated by thermophoresis. Four ZIKV-specific aptamers were selected. The best two were further characterized and proved to be specific for ZIKV. Aptamers are capable of binding specifically to the ZIKV and differentiate from Dengue virus. The aptamers selected in this work can be used as capture agents in the composition of diagnostic tests to specifically detect ZIKV infection. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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9 pages, 1768 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Zika Virus (ZIKV): A New Perspective on the Nanomechanical and Structural Properties

by Maria Luiza de Araujo Dorneles, Ruana Cardoso-Lima, Pedro Filho Noronha Souza, Daniela Santoro Rosa, Tais Monteiro Magne, Ralph Santos-Oliveira and Luciana Magalhães Rebelo Alencar

Viruses 2022, 14(8), 1727; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14081727 - 05 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1799

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arthropod-borne virus (arbovirus) from Flavivirus. In 2015, Brazil and other Latin American countries experienced an outbreak of ZIKV infections associated with severe neurological disorders such as Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS), encephalopathy, and encephalitis. Here, a complete mechanical and structural analysis of the ZIKV has been performed using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). AFM analysis corroborated the virus mean size (~50 nm) and icosahedral geometry and revealed high mechanical resistance of both: the viral surface particle (~200 kPa) and its internal content (~800 kPa). The analysis demonstrated the detailed organization of the nucleocapsid structure (such as RNA strips). An interesting finding was the discovery that ZIKV has no surface self-assembling property. These results can contribute to the development of future treatment candidates and circumscribe the magnitude of viral transmission. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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9 pages, 276 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Longitudinal Follow-Up of Gross Motor Function in Children with Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome from a Cohort in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

by Tatiana Hamanaka, Carla Trevisan M. Ribeiro, Sheila Pone, Saint Clair Gomes, Karin Nielsen-Saines, Elizabeth B. Brickley, Maria Elisabeth Moreira and Marcos Pone

Viruses 2022, 14(6), 1173; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14061173 - 28 May 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1577

Abstract

Knowledge of how congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) impacts motor development of children longitudinally is important to guide management. The objective of the present study was to describe the evolution of gross motor function in children with CZS in a Rio de Janeiro hospital. In children with CZS without arthrogryposis or other congenital osteoarticular malformations who were followed in a prospective cohort study, motor performance was evaluated at two timepoints using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and the Gross Motor Function Measurement test (GMFM-88). Among 74 children, at the baseline evaluation, the median age was 13 (8–24) months, and on follow-up, 28 (24–48) months. According to GMFCS at the second timepoint, 6 children were classified as mild, 11 as moderate, and 57 as severe. In the GMFM-88 assessment, children in the severe group had a median score of 10.05 in the baseline evaluation and a follow-up score of 12.40, the moderate group had median scores of 25.60 and 29.60, and the mild group had median scores of 82.60 and 91.00, respectively. Although a small developmental improvement was observed, the motor impairment of children was mainly consistent with severe cerebral palsy. Baseline motor function assessments were predictive of prognosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

15 pages, 2668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Anthropometric Parameters of Children with Congenital Zika Virus Exposure in the First Three Years of Life

by Elisa Barroso de Aguiar, Sheila Moura Pone, Saint Clair dos Santos Gomes Junior, Fernanda Valente Mendes Soares, Andrea Araujo Zin, Zilton Farias Meira Vasconcelos, Carla Trevisan Martins Ribeiro, José Paulo Pereira Junior, Maria Elisabeth Lopes Moreira, Karin Nielsen-Saines and Marcos Vinicius da Silva Pone

Viruses 2022, 14(5), 876; https://doi.org/10.3390/v14050876 - 23 Apr 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1927

Abstract

Little is known about the impact of congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure on growth in the first years of life. In this prospective cohort study,201 ZIKV antenatally-exposed children were followed at a tertiary referral center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Eighty-seven were classified as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) patients and 114 as not congenital Zika syndrome (NCZS); growth parameters were described and compared between groups and with WHO standard growth curves. Thirty-four (39%) newborns with CZS and seven (6%) NCZS were small for gestational age (p < 0.001). NCZS mean weight measures ranged from −0.45 ± 0.1 to 0.27 ± 0.2 standard deviations (SD) from the WHO growth curve median during follow-up, versus −1.84 ± 0.2 to −2.15 ± 0.2 SD for the CZS group (p < 0.001). Length mean z-scores varied from −0.3 ± 0.1 at 1 month to 0.17 ± 0.2 SD between 31 and 36 months in the NCZS group, versus −2.3 ± 0.3 to −2.0 ± 0.17 SD in the CZS group (p < 0.001). Weight/height (W/H) and BMI z-scores reached -1.45 ± 0.2 SD in CZS patients between 31 and 36 months, versus 0.23 ± 0.2 SD in the NCZS group (p < 0.01). Between 25 and 36 months of age, more than 50% of the 70 evaluated CZS children were below weight and height limits; 36 (37.1%) were below the W/H cut-off. Gastrostomy was performed in 23 (26%) children with CZS. During the first three years of life, CZS patients had severe and early growth deficits, while growth of NCZS children was normal by WHO standards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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9 pages, 868 KiB

Open AccessBrief Report

Vector Competence for Zika Virus Changes Depending on the Aedes aegypti’s Region of Origin in Manaus: A Study of an Endemic Brazilian Amazonian City

by Andréia da Costa Paz, Bárbara Aparecida Chaves, Raquel Soares Maia Godoy, Deilane Ferreira Coelho, Ademir Bentes Vieira Júnior, Rodrigo Maciel Alencar, João Arthur Alcântara, Luiza dos Santos Félix, Cinthia Catharina Azevedo Oliveira, Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro, Marcus Vinicius Guimarães Lacerda, Nágila Francinete Costa Secundino and Paulo Filemon Paolucci Pimenta

Viruses 2023, 15(3), 770; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15030770 - 17 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1216

Abstract

Zika virus (ZIKV) is transmitted to humans by the infectious bite of mosquitoes such as Aedes aegypti. In a city, the population control of mosquitoes is carried out according to alerts generated by different districts via the analysis of the mosquito index. However, we do not know whether, besides mosquito abundance, the susceptibility of mosquitoes could also diverge among districts and thus impact the dissemination and transmission of arboviruses. After a viremic blood meal, the virus must infect the midgut, disseminate to tissues, and reach the salivary gland to be transmitted to a vertebrate host. This study evaluated the patterns of ZIKV infection in the Ae. aegypti field populations of a city. The disseminated infection rate, viral transmission rate, and transmission efficiency were measured using quantitative PCR at 14 days post-infection. The results showed that all Ae. aegypti populations had individuals susceptible to ZIKV infection and able to transmit the virus. The infection parameters showed that the geographical area of origin of the Ae. aegypti influences its vector competence for ZIKV transmission. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Zika Viruses: State-of-the-Art Research in Brazil)

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