Dengue infection in the nervous system: lessons learned for Zika and Chikungunya

ABSTRACT Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya are emerging arboviruses and important causes of acute febrile disease in tropical areas. Although dengue does not represent a new condition, a geographic expansion over time has occurred with the appearance of severe neurological complications. Neglect has allowed the propagation of the vector (Aedes spp), which is also responsible for the transmission of other infections such as Zika and Chikungunya throughout the world. The increased number of infected individuals has contributed to the rise of neurological manifestations including encephalitis, myelitis, meningitis, Guillain-Barr é syndrome and congenital malformations such as microcephaly. In this narrative review, we characterize the impact of the geographic expansion of the vector on the appearance of neurological complications, and highlight the lack of highly accurate laboratory tests for nervous system infections. Thi s represents a challenge for public health in the world, considering the high number of travelers and people living in endemic areas.RESUMO Dengue, Zika e Chikungunya s ão arbovírus emergentes e importante causa de doença febril aguda em áreas tropicais. Embora a dengue não represente uma doença nova, houve uma expansão geográfica ao longo do tempo, com o aparecimento de complicações neurológicas graves. A negligência desta situação permitiu a propaga ção do vetor (Aedes spp) em todo o mundo, que também é responsável pela transmissão de outras ...
Source: Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria - Category: Neurology Source Type: research