QUANTIFICAÇÃO DE MOLÉCULAS INFLAMATÓRIAS E ANTIINFLAMATÓRIAS EM INDIVÍDUOS INFECTADOS PELO ZIKA VÍRUS NA FASE AGUDA E CONVALESCENTE

Abstract

The Zika virus (ZIKV) is a Flavivirus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, which was initially found and isolated on a Rhesus monkey in the Zika forest, Africa, in 1947. It is responsible for causing Zika fever, characterized mainly by symptoms such as fever, headache, Arthralgia, myalgia, and maculopapular rash. Currently, ZIKV infection has been considered an emerging and endemic infection and therefore several clinical aspects of the disease have been clarified, but there are still inflammatory features that need to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-9, IL-12p70, IL-15 and IL-17A), anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 and IL-1ra), and acute phase proteins (C-reactive protein and ferritin) in ZIKV-infected patients. We observed alterations in levels of C-reactive protein in ZIKV-infected patients when compared to healthy donors, and it was verified in the acute and convalescent phase. In relation to ferritin levels, they did not present significant changes at any point in the study. An increase in IL-5, IL-7 and IL-9 was also observed when compared to the acute and control groups. No changes were found in IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 cytokines, however significant levels of IL-1ra were detected in ZIKV-infected individuals. Regarding the acute and convalescent phase, only IL-7 presented statistically significant values. All these molecules were correlated with the amount of signs and symptoms, and no statistical difference was observed.