Perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes infectados pelo vírus zika e chikungunya e atendidos no Hospital da Universidade Federal de Sergipe

Abstract

Arboviruses are diseases endemic throughout the world, produced by a group of viruses called arboviruses, transmitted by arthropods of the genus Aedes. Among the most circulating in Brazil are those attributed to the Zika (ZIKV), Chikungunya (CHIKV) and dengue (DENV) viruses that have been presented as a public health problem and have an impact in several sectors of society. The multiple forms of virus transmission, a wide range of associated symptoms, as well as the lack of specificity of the symptoms, make the clinical diagnosis a challenge and the complementation of the laboratory tests, a necessity. Recently, in addition to the association of these viruses with syndromes and chronic conditions such as microcephaly, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and polyarthritis, cases of coinfection between ZIKV and CHIKV have been found. In view of the importance of recognizing the nuances between the clinical profiles of these arboviruses and the low data that characterize them, in the state of Sergipe, this study aimed to trace the epidemiological profile of the patients infected by the Zika and Chikungunya viruses treated at the Hospital Universitário da Federal University of Sergipe. From the collection of biological material, the diagnosis was made for ZIKV and CHIKV by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in real time and by ELISA serological test. Epidemiological clinical information was collected through a semi- structured interview. A large number of symptomatic patients were observed in CHIKV infected in relation to those infected by ZIKV, as well as a high incidence in female patients. The symptomatology presented by patients infected by only one virus and coinfected patients was similar. The clinical picture that stood out was the presence of fever, myalgia and arthralgia; and some of these symptoms were present in progenitors of patients with microcephaly. This work provides support for a better understanding of the epidemiological aspects involved in the infections by these arboviruses.