Genetic evidence of Zika virus in mother’s breast milk and body fluids of a newborn with severe congenital defects

Authors: Giovanetti M, Goes de Jesus J, Lima de Maia M, Junior JX, et al.

Published in: Clin Microbiol Infect.2018;24(10):1111-1112

Abstract On the basis of the upsurge in the number of newborns with neurologic disorders in the northeast, in November 2015 the Brazilian Ministry of Health declared a public health emergency of national concern [1]. On the basis of evidence for a potential association between microcephaly and other neurologic disorders and Zika virus (ZIKV) infection, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency of international concern on 1 February 2016. Here we report genetic evidence of ZIKV RNA in the mother’s breast milk and in the serum and urine of a newborn with severe congenital defects.