Zika Virus Circulates at Low Levels in Western and Coastal Kenya

Theodore A Gobillot; Caroline Kikawa; Dara A Lehman; John Kinuthia; Alison L Drake; Walter Jaoko; Kishorchandra Mandaliya; Grace John-Stewart; R Scott McClelland; Julie Overbaugh

doi:10.1093/infdis/jiaa158

Zika Virus Circulates at Low Levels in Western and Coastal Kenya

J Infect Dis. 2020 Aug 4;222(5):847-852. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa158.

Authors

Theodore A Gobillot^{1

2}, Caroline Kikawa¹, Dara A Lehman^{1

3}, John Kinuthia^{4

5}, Alison L Drake³, Walter Jaoko⁶, Kishorchandra Mandaliya⁷, Grace John-Stewart^{3

8

9}, R Scott McClelland^{3

8

9}, Julie Overbaugh¹

Affiliations

¹ Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
² Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA.
³ Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁴ Research and Programs, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁵ Reproductive Health, Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁶ Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁷ University of Nairobi Institute of Tropical & Infectious Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁸ Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁹ Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Abstract

Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) was discovered over 70 years ago in East Africa, but little is known about its circulation and pathogenesis there.

Methods: We screened 327 plasma samples collected 2-12 months after febrile illness in Western and coastal Kenya (1993-2016) for binding and neutralizing antibodies to distinguish ZIKV and dengue virus (DENV) responses, which we found were common in coastal Kenya.

Results: Two cases had durable ZIKV-specific antibodies and 2 cases had ZIKV antibodies at similar levels as DENV antibodies.

Conclusions: This suggests low-level ZIKV circulation in Kenya over 2 decades and sets a baseline for future surveillance efforts in East Africa.

Keywords: Kenya; Zika virus; arbovirus; seroprevalence.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood*
Antibodies, Viral / blood*
Coinfection / blood
Coinfection / epidemiology
Dengue Virus / immunology*
Female
Fever / blood*
Humans
Kenya / epidemiology
Prevalence
Zika Virus / immunology*
Zika Virus Infection / blood
Zika Virus Infection / epidemiology*

Substances

Antibodies, Neutralizing
Antibodies, Viral

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding