Zika virus congenital syndrome: confirmed cases in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction. In October 2015, an atypical increase in the number of microcephaly cases occurred in Brazil. In 2016, due to the growth of Zika virus cases and the potential association of the disease with congenital malformation and neurological syndromes, the WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Objective. The aim of this study is to describe confirmed cases of Zika virus Congenital Syndrome (ZCS) in Brazil from 2016 to 2023. Method. A descriptive, cross-sectional study using secondary data from the Public Health Events Registry. Confirmed cases of ZCS were considered. The analysis was performed using the Tabwin program. Results. From 2015 to 2023, there was a reduction in ZCS cases from 784 to 5 and deaths from 72 to 2. Males predominated with 53,99% of cases, while females had a higher frequency in 2020, 2022 and 2023 with 77.78%, 75.00% and 80.00% respectively. Brown skin color accounted for the majority of cases (43.01%). Regionally, the Northeast led (78.64%), while the South had only 0.54% of cases. The infant mortality rate related to ZCS was 0.66/1000 live births, and the case fatality rate was 9.36%. Conclusion. Male gender, brown skin color, and the Northeast region stood out. In the historical series, there was a decrease in cases; however, to maintain this decrease, individual protective measures among women of childbearing age should be maintained, as the Zika virus and its vector are widespread throughout the national territory.