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On the origin and timing of Zika virus introduction in Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 June 2017

E. MASSAD*
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
M. NASCIMENTO BURATTINI
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil
K. KHAN
Affiliation:
Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Canada
C. J. STRUCHINER
Affiliation:
Programme of Scientific Computation, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
F. A. B. COUTINHO
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil
A. WILDER-SMITH
Affiliation:
Institute of Public Health, University of Heidelberg, Germany Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Epidemiology and Global Health, Umea° University, SE-901 85 Umea, Sweden Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
*
*Author for correspondence: School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK (Email: edmassad@usp.br)
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Summary

The timing and origin of Zika virus (ZIKV) introduction in Brazil has been the subject of controversy. Initially, it was assumed that the virus was introduced during the FIFA World Cup in June–July 2014. Then, it was speculated that ZIKV may have been introduced by athletes from French Polynesia (FP) who competed in a canoe race in Rio de Janeiro in August 2014. We attempted to apply mathematical models to determine the most likely time window of ZIKV introduction in Brazil. Given that the timing and origin of ZIKV introduction in Brazil may be a politically sensitive issue, its determination (or the provision of a plausible hypothesis) may help to prevent undeserved blame. We used a simple mathematical model to estimate the force of infection and the corresponding individual probability of being infected with ZIKV in FP. Taking into account the air travel volume from FP to Brazil between October 2013 and March 2014, we estimated the expected number of infected travellers arriving at Brazilian airports during that period. During the period between December 2013 and February 2014, 51 individuals travelled from FP airports to 11 Brazilian cities. Basing on the calculated force of ZIKV infection (the per capita rate of new infections per time unit) and risk of infection (probability of at least one new infection), we estimated that 18 (95% CI 12–22) individuals who arrived in seven of the evaluated cities were infected. When basic ZIKV reproduction numbers greater than one were assumed in the seven evaluated cities, ZIKV could have been introduced in any one of the cities. Based on the force of infection in FP, basic reproduction ZIKV number in selected Brazilian cities, and estimated travel volume, we concluded that ZIKV was most likely introduced and established in Brazil by infected travellers arriving from FP in the period between October 2013 and March 2014, which was prior to the two aforementioned sporting events.

Information

Type
Original Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Reported number of ZIKV infections in FP (from [8]).

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Calculated incidence (λ(t)S(t)) calculated using equation (1) (line) and applied to model (3) superimposed on the observed number of ZIKV infections in FP when a 5 : 1 ratio between asymptomatic (non-reported cases included) and symptomatic (reported) cases was considered (see explanation in the main text). The goodness of fit measures were Akaike Information Criterion, AIC = 28·95; Mean Square Error, MSE = 346·194; and R-square, R2 = 0·95.

Figure 2

Fig. 3. Probability of at least one individual is infected by ZIKV in FP calculated using equation (4). The continuous line represents the mean and the dotted lines represent the CI including the error propagation of the fitting procedures.

Figure 3

Table 1. Number of travellers departing French Polynesian airports with final destinations in Brazilian cities between October 2013 and March 2014*

Figure 4

Table 2. Individual risk of ZIKV infection in FP and the expected number of ZIKV infections exported to Brazil via travellers on commercial flights between December 2013 and February 2014

Figure 5

Table 3. Estimated basic reproduction number R0−ZIKV for the selected Brazilian cities