Evolution of symptoms and quality of life during Zika virus infection: A 1-year prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Although the complications of Zika virus infection have been well described, the clinical pattern has not been reported in enough detail to differentiate this infection from those with other arboviroses, and no longitudinal study has yet been published on the persistence of symptoms and quality of life.

OBJECTIVES

were to describe bio-clinical pattern and quality of life during ZIKV infection, and their evolution.

STUDY DESIGN

We present a 1-year clinical follow-up of 49 people infected with Zika virus in French Guiana, for whom the diagnosis was confirmed by RT-PCR in serum or urine.

RESULTS

Fever was inconsistent (95% confidence interval (CI), 39-67). Exanthema (CI, 84-100) was maculopapular, with pruritus and conjunctivitis, variable over time and disappeared 12 days after the onset of symptoms (CI, 10-14). Joint pain (CI, 39-67) occurred mainly in the hands, wrists, knees and ankles and lasted for 10 days (CI, 7-13). Asthenia (CI, 61-85) scored low (3/10) but lasted for 19 days (CI, 16-22). The last two symptoms strongly limited patients' activities in the acute stage of the disease (RAPID-3 score, CI, 5-8). None of the patients had neurological complications, but 41% (CI, 27-55) had areflexia during the first month.

CONCLUSIONS

We found no real chronic evolution or decreased quality of life, function or ability to work from the first month after symptom onset.