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Joob and W iwanitkit
1024 Rev Assoc Med Bras 2017; 63(12):1024
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Concomitant testicular infection by Zika virus and
Schistosoma mansoni
Beuy Joob1*, Viroj Wiwanitkit2
1Sanitation 1 Medical Academic Center, Bangkok, Thailand
2Visiting Professor, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, Hainan, China
Article received: 9/8/2017
Accepted for publication: 9/24/2017
*Correspondence:
Sanitation 1 Medical Academic Center
Bangkok – Thailand
Postal code: 10160
Dear Editor, the publication on “Concomitant testicular
infection by Zika virus and Schistosoma mansoni ” is very
interesting.1 Alves et al. noted that “In endemic areas, or-
chiepididymis by Schistosoma should be investigate to avoid
unnecessary surgeries. This patient was also infected with
Zika virus.”1 Indeed, this report is a good case study show-
ing that the Zika virus can concurrently occur with any
other infections. In tropical endemic countries, coinfection
with Zika virus and other tropical disease is not uncommon
and this might result in increased difficulty in diagnosis.
The classic example is the concurrent infection with Zika
and other mosquito-borne virus.2 In the present case, con-
current Zika virus infection and schistosomiasis does occur,
but it seems to be only a coincidence without any significant
clinical observation. Nevertheless, since there are some
reports on the effect of Zika virus on testis in animal
models, 3,4 the long term follow-up of the case regarding
fertility might provide some useful clinical data.
References
1. Alves LS, Estanislau C, Barreto L, Batista F, Toppa N. Concomitant testicular
infection by Zika virus and Schistosoma mansoni in a Brazilian young boy. Rev
Assoc Med Bras (1992). 2017; 63(6):500-3.
2. Roth A, Mercier A, Lepers C, Hoy D, Duituturaga S, Benyon E, et al.
Concurrent outbreaks of dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus infections -
an unprecedented epidemic wave of mosquito-borne viruses in the Pacific
2012-2014. Euro Surveill. 2014; 19(41). pii: 20929.
3. Sheng ZY, Gao N, Wang ZY, Cui XY, Zhou DS, Fan DY, et al. Sertoli cells
are susceptible to ZIKV infection in mouse testis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol.
2017; 7:272.
4. Griffin BD, Muthumani K, Warner BM, Majer A, Hagan M, Audet J, et al.
DNA vaccination protects mice against Zika virus-induced damage to the
testes. Nat Commun. 2017; 8:15743.