Three Deadly Diseases are Circulating Mexico in Greater Numbers Helena Sutan - Brinkwire
go to original December 6, 2021

Concerns have grown as it was discovered that Chikungunya, Zika, and Dengue virus cases are more common in Mexico than previously thought.

Although cases of these viruses have been reported, recent advances in diagnostics have improved testing accuracy.

According to a study conducted by the Mexican Institute of Social Security (MISS), current estimates of arbovirus incidence in Mexico may be understated as a result of this.

Chikungunya and Zika viruses were first discovered in Mexico in 2014 and 2015.

However, until 2017, the National Network of Public Health Laboratories’ diagnostic techniques were only focused on detecting Dengue virus.

The true incidence of the three arboviruses, as well as the incidence of coinfections, were unknown before the new technique was implemented.

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,038 serum samples to confirm the diagnosis of viruses during the first three years of their co-circulation to see if incidences of Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika in endemic areas of Mexico.

The serum samples were then reanalyzed by the MISS team using a test that could detect any of the three viruses in a single reaction.

They discovered 2.4 times the rate of arboviruses (viruses transmitted to humans by insects), including coinfections, that had previously been reported.

This indicated to the researchers that the incidence of the three viruses may have been underestimated.

However, more research is needed in the future to provide accurate estimates of each virus’s incidence.

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