Immune and inflammatory repercussions of congenital infections in the perinatal period

• Grant number: 18/15031-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: January 01, 2019
• End date: December 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Maternal and Child Health
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Fernandes Moron
• Grantee: Antonio Fernandes Moron
• Visiting researcher: Steven Sol Witkin
• Visiting researcher institution: Weill Cornell Medical College, United States
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/08578-0 - Vertical infection by the virus Zika and its impact on the mother-child area, AP.TEM

Abstract

The maternal-fetal transmission of viruses is well known to cause serious consequences to the fetus during pregnancy. Although there is a link between the Zika virus (ZIKV) and microcephaly, the specter of other associations of pregnancy and birth defects need to be clarified during the first few months or years of life of children. Global alerts have been issued in this regard. Our objectives determine the incidence of infection caused by ZIKV in pregnant women and neonates born in the cohort, as well as analyze, describe the spectrum of clinical presentation of pregnant women ZIKV (+) and identify, describe and quantify the spectrum of anomalies and/or results, including microcephaly, in fetuses and newborn babies of pregnant women participating in the cohort. To develop these project, a prospective cohort study nested case-control as well as qualitative study of maternal mental health will be conducted at the University Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine of Jundiaí from 2016-2021. The sampling stipulated of the 500 pregnant women will be divided into three groups: group I (high-risk pregnant women without symptoms); group II (low-risk pregnant women with symptoms); and group III (abortions); and their newborns (RN) divided into those with or without microcephaly. The RN will be divided by maternal gestational age and will be used logistic regression controlled for possible confounders. Following these, we will assess the psychomotor development and the occurrence of hearing and visual losses, and neurological involvement. Active monitoring of cases will be done weekly by telephone of pregnant women. The biological samples (blood, urine, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid) will be collected and examined by serological tests: ELISA Microarray, RT-PCR and RNA-Sequencing. The human tissues will be analysed by pathology. Predictors will aim to calculate the risk relative, the risk univariate and multiple logistic models, when appropriate. Altogether, data will allow correlating the incidence of Zika infection and its potential as a causative agent of newborn and infant mental/physical health disorders. The project is innovative and will help researchers to understand the impact of this emergent disease on the population, especially in children. (AU)