Zika Virus Persistence and Higher Viral Loads in Cutaneous Capillaries Than in Venous Blood

Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Nov;23(11):1910-1911. doi: 10.3201/eid2311.170337. Epub 2017 Nov 17.

Abstract

We collected venous and capillary serum samples from 21 Zika virus‒infected patients on multiple days after symptom onset and found RNA load was higher and median duration of virus detection significantly longer in capillary than in venous blood. These findings raise questions about the role of the capillary compartment in virus transmission dynamics.

Keywords: French Guiana; Zika; Zika virus; capillary blood samples; persistence; vector-borne infections; venous samples; viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Capillaries / virology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Veins / virology*
  • Viral Load*
  • Zika Virus
  • Zika Virus Infection / blood
  • Zika Virus Infection / virology*

Substances

  • RNA, Viral