Possible vertical transmission of Chikungunya virus infection detected in the cord blood samples from a birth cohort in Vietnam

Mya Myat Ngwe Tun; Elizabeth Ajema Chebichi Luvai; Michiko Toizumi; Masako Moriuchi; Yuki Takamatsu; Shingo Inoue; Takeshi Urano; Minh Xuan Bui; Do Thai Hung; Hien-Anh Thi Nguyen; Dang Duc Anh; Lay-Myint Yoshida; Hiroyuki Moriuchi; Kouichi Morita

Journal of Infection and Public Health (Jun 2024)

Possible vertical transmission of Chikungunya virus infection detected in the cord blood samples from a birth cohort in Vietnam

Mya Myat Ngwe Tun,
Elizabeth Ajema Chebichi Luvai,
Michiko Toizumi,
Masako Moriuchi,
Yuki Takamatsu,
Shingo Inoue,
Takeshi Urano,
Minh Xuan Bui,
Do Thai Hung,
Hien-Anh Thi Nguyen,
Dang Duc Anh,
Lay-Myint Yoshida,
Hiroyuki Moriuchi,
Kouichi Morita

Affiliations

Mya Myat Ngwe Tun: Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Department of Tropical Viral Vaccine Development, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Center for Vaccines and Therapeutic Antibodies for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan; Correspondence to: Department of Virology & Department of Tropical Viral Vaccine Development, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan.
Elizabeth Ajema Chebichi Luvai: Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, Technical University of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
Michiko Toizumi: Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Masako Moriuchi: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Yuki Takamatsu: Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Department of Tropical Viral Vaccine Development, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Shingo Inoue: Kenya Research Station, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Takeshi Urano: Center for Vaccines and Therapeutic Antibodies for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
Minh Xuan Bui: Khanh Hoa Provincial Public Health Service, Nha Trang, Viet Nam
Do Thai Hung: Pasteur Institute in Nha Trang, Nha Trang, Viet Nam
Hien-Anh Thi Nguyen: National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
Dang Duc Anh: National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Hanoi, Viet Nam
Lay-Myint Yoshida: Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
Hiroyuki Moriuchi: Department of Pediatrics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Correspondence to: Department of Pediatrics, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan.
Kouichi Morita: Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; Department of Tropical Viral Vaccine Development, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan; DEJIMA Infectious Disease Research Alliance, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 17, no. 6
pp. 1050 – 1056

Abstract

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Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an alphavirus (genus Alphavirus, family Togaviridae) that is primarily transmitted to humans by Aedes mosquitoes, and can be transmitted from mother to child. Little is known about CHIKV transmission in Vietnam, where dengue is endemic and Aedes mosquitoes are abundant. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of vertical CHIKV infection in a birth cohort, and seroprevalence of anti-CHIKV antibodies with or without confirmation by neutralization tests among women bearing children in Vietnam. Methods: We collected umbilical cord blood plasma samples from each newly delivered baby in Nha Trang, Central Vietnam, between July 2017 and September 2018. Samples were subjected to molecular assay (quantitative real-time RT-PCR) and serological tests (anti-CHIKV IgM capture and IgG indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and neutralization tests). Results: Of the 2012 tested cord blood samples from newly delivered babies, the CHIKV viral genome was detected in 6 (0.3%) samples by RT-PCR, whereas, 15 samples (0.7%) were anti-CHIKV-IgM positive. Overall, 18 (0.9%, 95% CI: 0.6–1.5) samples, including three positives for both CHIKV IgM and viral genome on RT-PCR, were regarded as vertical transmission of CHIKV infection. Of the 2012 cord blood samples, 10 (0.5%, 95% CI: 0.2–0.9) were positive for both anti-CHIKV IgM and IgG. Twenty-nine (1.4%, 95% CI: 1.0–2.1) were seropositive for anti-CHIKV IgG while 26 (1.3%, 95% CI: 0.8–1.9) of them were also positive for neutralizing antibodies, and regarded as seropositive with neutralization against CHIKV infection. Conclusion: This is the first report of a possible CHIKV maternal-neonatal infection in a birth cohort in Vietnam. The findings indicate that follow-up and a differential diagnosis of CHIKV infection in pregnant women are needed to clarify the potential for CHIKV vertical transmission and its impact in the newborn.

Published in Journal of Infection and Public Health

ISSN: 1876-0341 (Print); 1876-035X (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-infection-and-public-health

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