Assessing the seroprevalence of Zikavirus antibodies among pregnant women in a health care facility in Lagos southwestern Nigeria

Resumo

Introduction: Zika virus (ZIKV) is an Aedes

mosquito borne or sexually transmitted pathogen

resulting in an infection characterized by, fever, rash,

conjunctivitis, headaches, muscle and joint pains,

which typically start 3-6 days after infection.

Currently, the majority of people diagnosed with Zika

virus however remain asymptomatic. Zika virus

infection in pregnant women results in severe birth

defects including microcephaly. The prevalence of

the infection among pregnant women in Nigeria is

not known. Therefore this study aimed to assess the

prevalence of Zika virus antibodies and risk factors

implicated with infection among pregnant women

accessing care at the Department of Obstetrics and

Gynaecology, General Hospital, Lagos Southwest

Nigeria.

Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study

was carried out among 442 consenting pregnant

women consecutively enrolled (age ranged 18-

48years (SD=-6.1; Mean=30.9) attending Antenatal

clinic at General Hospital Badagry from February to

March 2018. Blood sample collected from each

consenting participant was screened for Zika virus

IgG using AudaciaBioScienceZika virus rapid antigen

test Kit. Information on Socio-demographic

characteristic, reproductive profile and risk factors

for contracting zika virus was obtained using

questionnaires. Data were analyzed with SPSS at

p< 0.05 with 95% confidence interval considered

significant.

Results: This study found an overall rate of 1.6%

for anti-Zika virus among asymptomatic pregnant

women in Lagos indicating a passive infection.

Highest rate (2.04%) was found among age group

31-35years followed by 1.61% among age group 36-

40years. Various risk factors identified included,

relatively low Zika virus rates by Reported fever

(OR=9.974; 95%CI=-2.29–34.08; p=0.0118),

Anaemia (OR=14.34; 95%CI =3.32–50.14;

p=0.0018), Skin rash (OR=9.024; 95%CI =-2.154–

33.01; p=0.0079), Joint/Muscle pain (OR=5.406;

95%CI=1.31–19.96; p=0.0466), Conjunctivitis

(OR=28.06; 95%CI =-5.046–77.52; p=0.0058) and

Oedema (OR=4.971; 95%CI=1.216-18.86;

p=0.429).. None of the bio-demographic variables

as risk factors evaluated significantly influenced Zika

virus seroprevalence (p>0.05).

Conclusion: This study showed detection of

relatively low rate of Zika virus IgG among the

participants and further revealed the possibilities of

risk factors associated for the spread of the infection

in the community