Objectives: To describe and estimate the frequency of pregnancy outcomes, clinical and laboratory characteristics of vertical transmission of CHIKV in the neonate.Study design: We performed a systematic review evaluating the clinical presentation of perinatally-acquired CHIKV infection in neonates. The search was performed using Medline (via PubMed), LILACS, Web of Science, Scielo, Google Scholar and Open grey to identify studies assessing vertical transmission of CHIKV up to November 3, 2020. There were no search restrictions regarding the study type, the publication date or language. Studies with no documented evidence of CHIKV infection in neonates (negative RT-PCR or absence of IgM) were excluded.Results: From the 227 studies initially identified, 42 were selected as follows: 28 case reports, 7 case series, 2 cross-sectional studies and 5 cohort studies, for a total of 266 CHIKV infected neonates confirmed by serological and/or molecular tests. The vertical transmission rate was 50% in the Reunion Island outbreak, which was the subject of the majority of the studies; the premature delivery were reported in 19 (45.2%) studies; the rate of fetal distress was 19.6% of infected babies and fetal loss occurred in 2% of the cases. Approximately 68.7% of newborns were diagnosed with encephalopathy or encephalitis after perinatally acquired CHIKV. Most of the infected neonates were born healthy, developing CHIKV sepsis clinical syndrome within the first week of life.Conclusions: We alert neonatologists to the late manifestations of neonatal CHIKV infection, relevant to the management and reduction of morbidity. A limitation of our review was that it was not possible to carry out meta-analysis due to differences in study design and the small number of participants.

Background: Large-scale epidemics in countries with high birth rates can create a concerning scenario where pregnant people are more likely to transmit the virus. In addition, increased international mobility has made arboviruses a growing problem for travelers. The increased risk of vertical transmission has been related to maternal viremia near delivery. Such transmission leads to severe infection of newborns and may be associated with subsequent neurological impairment including cerebral palsy. This case series provides an overview of clinical and laboratory findings in pregnant individuals with confirmed chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection as well as the clinical effects on their newborn emphasizing the severity of neonatal chikungunya. Methods: An ambispective case series enrolled newborns with confirmed exposure to CHIKV in utero or in the neonatal period. Results: During the delivery period, the transmission rate among viremic individuals was approximately 62% (18/29). Fever, irritability, rash, and poor feeding in the first week of life were critical signs of neonatal chikungunya, highlighting its severity. Conclusion: Close monitoring of healthy newborns during the first week of life is essential in areas affected by CHIKV epidemics, and in offspring of pregnant travelers who visited the outbreaks zones. This case series is intended to increase neonatologists’ awareness of the possibility of mother-to-child transmission of CHIKV among newborns with a sepsis-like presentation. Prioritizing CHIKV vaccination for women of childbearing age should also be considered.

SUMMARY: Since 2005, it has been known that mother-to-child transmission of the chikungunya virus is possible. Transmission generally occurs in the perinatal period. In the present study, we describe the brain lesions seen on MR imaging of 6 cases of perinatal chikungunya infection. Patients who underwent brain MR imaging in the acute phase presented with areas of restricted diffusion in the white matter, suggesting a perivascular distribution, whereas those in the subacute/late phase showed cystic lesions, also with a perivascular distribution, with or without brain atrophy. One patient also presented with scattered hemorrhages in the frontal and parietal lobes. Important differential diagnoses include rotavirus, Parechovirus, herpes simplex infection, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, depending on the disease phase.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dietary practices and household food insecurity (HFI) status among high-risk children during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 147 children aged 1 to 9 attending at three reference health centers in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Diet quality data was assessed using Healthy Eating Indices. The Brazilian Scale of Food and Nutrition Insecurity measured HFI status. Associations between HFI and dietary practices were assessed using logistic regression models. Almost half of the children lived with food insecurity (47.6%). HFI was associated with deteriorated diet quality, evidenced by the increased weekly frequency of consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF), such as sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats, and reduced frequency of fruits and vegetables. Parents perceived a reduction in meat and milk consumption and an increase in the intake of UPF among households of children in HFI throughout the pandemic. Our results suggest that HFI status was associated with deterioration in diet quality during the critical phase of social isolation.

We report here a probable case of vertical transmission of chikungunya infection with confirmed maternal viremia close to labor that led to severe infection in the newborn. The newborn progressed with cutaneous lesions and irritability 2 months after vertical transmission, when chikungunya virus was detected in the infant’s CSF by a molecular diagnostic test (real-time polymerase chain reaction).