Children who have
previously been exposed to dengue virus appear to be protected from getting
sick when infected with Zika virus, according to a study published Jan. 22,
2019 in PLoS Medicine by Aubree Gordon of the University of Michigan and Eva
Harris of the University of California, Berkeley.
Prior and recent dengue
virus infection was found to be associated with protection from symptomatic
Zika virus infection. Children with prior dengue infection had 38% less risk of
showing symptoms when infected with Zika than those who were dengue-free. Zika
symptoms include fever, rash, conjunctivitis, muscle, joint pain and headache.
These findings support
the hypothesis that prior dengue virus immunity might cross-protect against
symptomatic Zika. The two already share many similarities: They belong to the
same Flavivirusgenus. Both viruses are transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which preys
on the same populations.
In a patient with previous dengue infection, the
second dengue infection may be more severe via antibody-dependent enhancement.
But if the second attack occurs within six months of each other it may get
nullified.
Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
President Elect Confederation of Medical
Associations in Asia and Oceania
(CMAAO)
Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications
President Heart Care Foundation of India
Past National President IMA
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