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At the height of the Zika virus outbreak, in 2015, the inhabitants of Pau da Lima were infected by most of their neighbors. In the neighborhood alone, the infection rate reached 73%. What they did not know, is that four years later, discoveries about the manifestation of the disease in this region would become a reference for the fight against zika in Brazil and in the world.
Faced with an increase in the number of cases of dengue in the state – which this week even confirmed an epidemic in Feira de Santana – Bahians may have good news: people with dengue and acquired immunity have a lower risk of Zika virus transmission.
This is the conclusion of a study published Friday (8) in the journal Science, one of the most prestigious academic publications. The research was conducted by the Institute of Collective Health (ISC) of the Federal University of Bahia (Ufba); by the Gonçalo Moniz Institute (Fiocruz Bahia), through the Laboratory of Pathology and Molecular Biology, and by international partners such as the School of Public Health of Yale University of New Haven , in the United States, with researcher Albert Ko.
This is the first time that a study examines the link between diseases and the reality of a community. The researchers followed 1,453 residents in the Pau da Lima district of Salvador, between March and October 2015. On this sample, the percentage of people who contracted the Zika virus during the epidemic period reached 73%. of the total.
Of this total, the study found that only one-third of these people showed symptoms – and that they were mild. According to the research coordinator in Bahia, Federico Costa, a professor at the ISC, there was not even fever badociated with the zika virus.
"We have asked questions that some factors may favor or disadvantage Zika virus infection, and we found that people who had dengue fever, or more specifically, dengue antibodies, were better protected. That was our first finding, "says Professor Frederick.
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| The district of Pau da Lima is accompanied by ISC researchers since 2003 (Photo: Divulgação / ISC) |
of the natural vaccine
In addition, even with a rate of 39 high infection, in cases. "So, these data suggest that this Zika virus infection might look like a natural vaccine – that is, future immunity against future infections of the same Zika virus," says the professor.
The third conclusion of the study is that even though the rate of infection is high in the community, it is not a homogeneous percentage. While in some places, up to 90% of residents were infected, the number was quite low in other areas. This suggests that these "sub-areas" where people were not infected could be sites for the entry of the virus in the future, as these villagers are still vulnerable.
Since 2003, ISC has accompanied the Pau da Lima district in its research on other diseases, such as leptospirosis and dengue fever itself. It is precisely because of previous surveillance, throughout this period, that researchers were able to follow all stages of the zika epidemic in 2015: before, during and after.
According to Professor Federico Costa, the community was chosen for its social mobilization, through badociations such as badociations of inhabitants, and for its high incidence of leptospirosis.
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| Professor Federico Costa, of the Institute of Public Health of Ufba, Coordinated Research in Bahia (Photo: Divulgação / ISC) |
"Pau da Lima is representative of urban communities the Brazil and the world's most vulnerable, what we do here serves as a model for other parts of Brazil and the world ".
The study participants were to be over the age of five, live in the community and sleep at least four nights on the site. Before the zika epidemic, about 80% of the population had already been infected with dengue fever at some point in their lives. "The collaboration of the people who participated in the studies and the residents' badociations has a very important impact on health," added the professor.
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| The study was conducted with just over 1,400 inhabitants of Pau da Lima (Photo: Reproduction / Science Magazine) |
The collection of material collected was been treated in Fiocruz Bahia. "We show that by working in an organized manner, in partnership, you can increase scientific knowledge, generate evidence for future political decision-making and train and train human resources," said researcher Mitermayer Galvão dos Reis , from Fiocruz Bahia.
Other Lines
Researchers are currently pursuing their research in other fields. Among them are the development of children born during the period of zika epidemic and the possibility of zika infection to protect themselves from dengue in the future.
Currently, research is expected to influence more studies in the field. One of the possible repercussions should be in the area of vaccines. In Brazil, there is already an approved vaccine against dengue, while others are being tested.
"The fact that antibodies against dengue can prevent zika could suggest that these dengue vaccines may also be effective against zika," says Professor Federico. In addition, the study data should be used to monitor predictions of possible Zika virus reintroduction times.
"This work was done with people from here, students from Salvador, showing how the work here is of high quality.And these data show our reality, including the magnitude of the transmission and the fact that our experience of dengue fever can also be a barrier against zika.If the person has a barrier against zika infection, it may have barriers to diseases caused by zika, such as neurological diseases and microcephaly in children ", reflects Professor Federico.
Throughout Bahia, until Thursday (7), there were 1,533 suspected cases of dengue in 2019 – an increase of 134% by compared to the same period of last year
The study is available on the site of the journal Science and in PDF format (both in English) "This study is extremely valuable information, mainly for the development of vaccines. "It is now difficult to identify the molecules that induce the production of antibodies allowing this protective cross reaction," he added. the researcher Mitermayer Galvão dos Reis, of Fiocruz Bahia
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