Congenital Zika Virus Infection Induces Severe Spinal Cord Injury

Fernando S Ramalho; Aparecida Y Yamamoto; Luis L da Silva; Luiz T M Figueiredo; Lenaldo B Rocha; Luciano Neder; Sara R Teixeira; Letícia A Apolinário; Leandra N Z Ramalho; Deisy M Silva; Conrado M Coutinho; Patrícia P Melli; Marlei J Augusto; Ligia B Santoro; Geraldo Duarte; Marisa M Mussi-Pinhata

doi:10.1093/cid/cix374

Congenital Zika Virus Infection Induces Severe Spinal Cord Injury

Clin Infect Dis. 2017 Aug 15;65(4):687-690. doi: 10.1093/cid/cix374.

Authors

Fernando S Ramalho¹, Aparecida Y Yamamoto², Luis L da Silva³, Luiz T M Figueiredo⁴, Lenaldo B Rocha⁵, Luciano Neder¹, Sara R Teixeira⁴, Letícia A Apolinário¹, Leandra N Z Ramalho¹, Deisy M Silva¹, Conrado M Coutinho⁶, Patrícia P Melli⁶, Marlei J Augusto¹, Ligia B Santoro¹, Geraldo Duarte⁶, Marisa M Mussi-Pinhata²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.
² Department of Pediatrics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
³ Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
⁵ Institute of Biological and Natural Sciences, Federal University of Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba.
⁶ Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.

PMID: 28444144
DOI: 10.1093/cid/cix374

Abstract

We report 2 fatal cases of congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection. Brain anomalies, including atrophy of the cerebral cortex and brainstem, and cerebellar aplasia were observed. The spinal cord showed architectural distortion, severe neuronal loss, and microcalcifications. The ZIKV proteins and flavivirus-like particles were detected in cytoplasm of spinal neurons, and spinal cord samples were positive for ZIKV RNA.

Keywords: Zika virus; cerebellar aplasia; cortical atrophy; flavivirus; spinal cord injury.

Publication types

Case Reports

MeSH terms

Fatal Outcome
Female
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / pathology
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious* / virology
Spinal Cord / abnormalities*
Spinal Cord Diseases* / congenital
Spinal Cord Diseases* / pathology
Spinal Cord Diseases* / virology
Zika Virus Infection* / congenital
Zika Virus Infection* / pathology
Zika Virus Infection* / virology
Zika Virus*