The Zika virus was first isolated in a Rhesus monkey in the Zika forest in Uganda in 1947, during a study on the transmission of jungle yellow fever. In 2007, there was the first major outbreak of infection in the island of Yap in Micronesia; and by the end of 2013; an outbreak began in French Polynesia. In May 2015, native circulation in continental America (Brazil) was registered. To date, 47 countries / territories in the Americas have confirmed native cases of infection, in six departments in Peru. At the beginning of 2016, seven countries or territories reported an increase in the incidence of microcephaly after an outbreak of infection by the Zika virus. Worldwide, 23 countries or territories have reported cases of microcephaly and other malformations of the central nervous system possibly associated with Zika virus infection; and in the Andean Region, only Colombia has presented c...

Congenital Zika virus syndrome comprises a series of fetal malformations, mainly of the central nervous system, that share a pattern of brain atrophy and disorders in neuronal migration, and that have in microcephaly their most striking and severe expression. Ultrasonography plays the most important role in the screening of brain lesions in the fetuses of pregnant women exposed to Zika virus, so the importance of establishing a systematic evaluation in the routine ultrasound controls of pregnant women in areas of transmission of the disease becomes apparent. It is also important to note that fetal neurosonography is the reference standard in the evaluation of fetal brain anatomy and should be part of the diagnostic algorithm in all suspected cases.

Introduction: Zika is an emerging arboviral disease that entered Peru in 2016, associated with congenital malformations and neurological complications. Objective: To analyze the incidence and distribution of Zika and identify complications in pregnant women in Peru during the 2016–2023 period. Materials and methods: Observational, descriptive study based on secondary data from the national epidemiological surveillance system. Annual incidence rates (AIR) and average annual incidence rates (AAIR) were calculated by age group, sex, and geographic region. Results: A total of 4529 confirmed cases were reported (national AAIR: 2.62 per 100,000 population), with an epidemic peak in 2019 (AIR: 11.03 per 100,000). Focal outbreaks were identified in 12 departments, with the highest burden in Cajamarca (AAIR: 17.42) and Loreto (AAIR: 11.59). The highest AAIR was observed among young adults (2.04...

In Latin America, the first months of 2016 were marked by the increasing reports of microcephaly, which was shortly afterwards shown to have been caused by the Zika virus. Initially, its transmission was typified as metaxenic (caused by the Dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti); later, evidences of sexual transmission were detected. Thus, the Ministry of Health of Peru required to evaluate the response capacity of the reproductive health services to needs and critical knots and to draft a plan to improve the offer. In the case of Lima, EsSalud facilities were also included. Through individual and group interviews, and check lists and observation lists, key variables of the health system were analyzed. The budget of the regions was always lower than that requested; the family planning budget was expended in other uses. Office hours were limited. The staff skills on both intrauterine device (IUD)...

About IMMUNOPERU 2025: This IUIS-ALACI-PSI course has brought together a diverse group of students, immunologists and experts to share their distinct perspectives, skills and expertise. The focus was on a variety of endemic and emerging diseases related to environmental and climate change. The goal was to catalyze the development of novel concepts, methods and approaches in addressing these emerging challenges. MAIN TOPICS: The course has addressed the Impact of environmental exposures on immunity in infectious disease, chronic inflammation and cancer with particular attention to: Changes in microbial communities and their metabolites that drive inflammatory disease (eg. effects of antibiotics, dietary and other factors) Environmental cues and pollutants linked to the development of hematologic malignancies. The impact of climate change on endemic infectious diseases (eg. Tuberculosis, D...