Development and validation of multiplex molecular platform for confirmatry diagnosis of Zika virus infection and establishment of laboratory standards

• Grant number: 16/15049-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research in Public Policies for the National Health Care System (PP-SUS)
• Start date: December 01, 2016
• End date: April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Agreement: CNPq - PPSUS
• Principal Investigator: Simone Kashima Haddad
• Grantee: Simone Kashima Haddad
• Host Institution: Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto. Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da USP (HCMRP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Ribeirão Preto
• Associated researchers: Alessandra Kimie Matsuno ; Dimas Tadeu Covas ; Evandra Strazza Rodrigues Sandoval ; Helena Lage Ferreira ; Svetoslav Nanev Slavov

Abstract

With the rapid dissemination of Zika virus (ZIKV) in the Tropical world and its entry in Brazil, a rapid strategy with interaction of different scientific areas is necessary in order to understand better the infection pathogenesis. A significant number of studies performed in Brazil are destined towards understanding ZIKV biology; nevertheless, specific efforts are necessary for the development and improvement of the screening methods as to obtain a diagnostic procedure with easy access, performance and at the same time of a low cost. This proposal has the objective to develop and validate a multiplex molecular platform for the confirmatory and discriminatory diagnosis of ZIKV and Dengue virus (DENV) using real-time PCR method. The study predicts also the production and characterization of reagents like endogenous control (avian metapneumovirus) and quantified ZIKV positive control (copies/mL). This study involves the participation of researchers from different institutions: the Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, Emergency Pediatric Unit at the Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo and Faculty of Zootechnics and Food Engineering, USP (research institution). We believe that the multicenter and multidisciplinary approach will be an efficient strategy for the development and validation of a robust molecular platform for the discriminatory diagnosis of ZIKV and DENV. Additionally, we believe that the establishment of a diagnostic definition of ZIKV infection will permit to study in details the biology of ZIKV, responsible for the Brazilian outbreak and contribute for the better understanding of the pathogenesis of the infection and development of vaccines of immunobiologics. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

SLAVOV, SVETOSLAV NANEV; GUARAGNA MACHADO, RAFAEL RAHAL; FERREIRA, ALEXANDER RODRIGO; SOARES, CAMILA PEREIRA; ARAUJO, DANIELLE BASTOS; LEAL OLIVEIRA, DANIELLE BRUNA; COVAS, DIMAS TADEU; DURIGON, EDISON LUIZ; KASHIMA, SIMONE. Zika virus seroprevalence in blood donors from the Northeastern region of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, between 2015 and 2017. Journal of Infection, v. 80, n. 1, p. 111-115, JAN 2020. (17/23205-8, 16/20045-7, 16/15049-3, 16/08727-5, 14/50947-7)

SANTOS, FLAVIA L. S.; SLAVOV, SVETOSLAV N.; BEZERRA, RAFAEL S.; SANTOS, ELAINE V.; SILVA-PINTO, ANA C.; MORAIS, ANA L. L.; SA, MARIANA B.; UBIALI, EUGENIA M. A.; DE SANTIS, GIL C.; COVAS, DIMAS T.; et al. Vaso-occlusive crisis in a sickle cell patient after transfusion-transmitted dengue infection. Transfusion, v. 60, n. 9, JUL 2020. (16/15049-3, 14/50947-7, 13/08135-2)

SLAVOV, SVETOSLAV N.; SANTOS, V, ELAINE; HESPANHOL, MARTA R.; RODRIGUES, EVANDRA S.; HADDAD, RODRIGO; UBIALI, EUGENIA M. A.; COVAS, DIMAS T.; KASHIMA, SIMONE. Dengue RNA detection and seroprevalence in blood donors during an outbreak in the Sao Paulo State, Brazil, 2016. Journal of Medical Virology, v. 93, n. 6, OCT 2020. (14/50947-7, 16/15049-3)