DENV and ZIKV detection in patients with acute febrile syndrome in Córdoba, Colombia

• Main Authors: Paula A. Avilés-Vergara, Andrea Trujillo-Correa, Luz A. Gómez-Suárez, Dina Ricardo-Caldera, Sara C. Soto-De León, Hugo Brango, Catalina Tovar Acero
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-10-01
• Series: International Journal of Infectious Diseases
• Subjects: Dengue virus; Zika virus; Coinfection; Colombia
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971220306421

Objective: To determine simultaneous circulation of DENV serotypes and ZIKV in Córdoba, Colombia, during 2015 and 2016. Material and methods: A total of 294 samples from patients with clinical diagnosis of febrile syndrome compatible with dengue were collected between June 2015 and December 2016. All samples were tested for DENV and ZIKV by RT-PCR using C6/36 cells culture supernatant. Results: Thirty-three percent of the samples were positive (97/294); from these, 61.8% were positive for DENV and 31% were positive for Zika. The predominant serotype was DENV-2 (70.1%), followed by DENV-3 (8.9%), DENV-4 (6%), and DENV-1 (3%). DENV/ZIKV coinfection was identified in 7.2% of the cases associated with DENV-1 and DENV-3 serotypes. The confirmed cases of dengue, Zika, and DENV/ZIKV coinfections were clinically mild and self-limited. Conclusions: We reported the co-circulation of all four DENV serotypes, with a higher frequency of DENV-2, and ZIKV introduction in Córdoba department-Colombia in August 2015. This scenario favored the appearance of DENV/ZIKV coinfections.