Detection of ZIKA virus antibody in pregnant women in Makassar City, Indonesia: The first proof of the distribution of Zika virus in the area

Abstract

Objective:TheZikavirus(ZIKV)isatypeofarbovirus belonging to the Flaviviridae family. It is primarily transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, with the Aedes aegypti mosquito being a common carrier of ZIKV and other viruses like dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. In Indonesia, with a population of 254.9 million people, there were no reports of Zika outbreaks until 2018. Although there have been no documented cases of Zika in pregnant women in Indonesia, there is evidence suggesting that ZIKV may already be present in the country, putting pregnant women at risk of infection. This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of Zika in pregnant women living in Makassar, Indonesia, using the ZIKV IgG ELISA method. M ethodology and result: 139 stored serum samples used in this study were tested for anti-ZIKV IgG antibodies. Additionally, the study sought to determine the potential for cross-reactivity by conducting dengue IgG ELISA (indirect and capture ELISA) on 46 samples that were seropositive for ZIKV and nine randomly chosen negative samples to rule out the possibility of confusion with dengue antibodies. Employing anti-Zika virus IgG ELISA Kits (ABCAM, US lot # GR34470066-2), the study revealed that 46 (33 %) samples tested positive for ZIKV-specific IgG antibodies, and 93 samples (67 %) tested negative. Of the 46 positive ZIKV samples, 22 % (12) were also seroconverted for DENV IgG indirect ELISA and none for the capture ELISA. While the trends of antibodies checked with indirect and captured ELISA for DENV were comparable, antibodies of ZIKV showed a distinct trend that distinguished them from DENV antibodies. C onclusion, significance, and im pact of research: This study shows preliminary proof of Zika virus distribution among pregnant women in Makassar despite a possible immune cross-reaction between the two viruses.