Measuring Haitian children's exposure to chikungunya, dengue and malaria.
OBJECTIVE
To differentiate exposure to the newly introduced chikungunya virus from exposure to endemic dengue virus and other pathogens in Haiti.


METHODS
We used a multiplex bead assay to detect immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses to a recombinant chikungunya virus antigen, two dengue virus-like particles and three recombinantPlasmodium falciparumantigens. Most (217) of the blood samples investigated were collected longitudinally, from each of 61 children, between 2011 and 2014 but another 127 were collected from a cross-sectional sample of children in 2014.


RESULTS
Of the samples from the longitudinal cohort, none of the 153 collected between 2011 and 2013 but 78.7% (48/61) of those collected in 2014 were positive for IgG responses to the chikungunya virus antigen. In the cross-sectional sample, such responses were detected in 96 (75.6%) of the children and occurred at similar prevalence across all age groups. In the same sample, responses to malarial antigen were only detected in eight children (6.3%) but the prevalence of IgG responses to dengue virus antigens was 60.6% (77/127) overall and increased steadily with age. Spatial analysis indicated that the prevalence of IgG responses to the chikungunya virus and one of the dengue virus-like particles decreased as the sampling site moved away from the city of Léogâne and towards the ocean.


CONCLUSIONS
Serological evidence indicates that there had been a rapid and intense dissemination of chikungunya virus in Haiti. The multiplex bead assay appears to be an appropriate serological platform to monitor the seroprevalence of multiple pathogens simultaneously.
University of Notre Dame Haiti Program, Hôpital Sainte Croix, Rue D' Accenil No.1, Léogâne, Haiti .
Mathieu Jp
MJ
Poirier
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States of America (USA).
Delynn M
DM
Moss
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States of America (USA).
Karla R
KR
Feeser
University of Notre Dame Haiti Program, Hôpital Sainte Croix, Rue D' Accenil No.1, Léogâne, Haiti .
Thomas G
TG
Streit
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, USA .
Gwong-Jen J
GJ
Chang
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, USA .
Matthew
M
Whitney
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, USA .
Brandy J
BJ
Russell
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, USA .
Barbara W
BW
Johnson
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, USA .
Alison J
AJ
Basile
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, USA .
Christin H
CH
Goodman
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States of America (USA).
Amanda K
AK
Barry
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, United States of America (USA).
Patrick J
PJ
Lammie
D000293:Adolescent; D065632:Chikungunya Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002646:Chikungunya virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003715:Dengue / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008288:Malaria / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification