ZIKV Phylogenetic Characterization Reveals Evolutionary Diversity, Regional Dissemination, and Emergence of African Lineages in Brazil

During the last epidemic in 2015-2016, Zika virus (ZIKV) gaining worldwide attention due to its association with neurological complications such as microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. ZIKV can be transmitted through vector-borne, sexual, maternal-fetal, and blood transfusion transmission. This study aimed to investigate the shedding pattern of ZIKV using genomic data deposited in NCBI and compare clinical and mosquito samples to explore transmission patterns. A total of 1889 genomic deposits were analyzed, with the majority originating from the Americas (59%) and Asia (27%), where the Asian lineage predominates. In Africa, the West African lineage is more prevalent. Interestingly, field-collected mosquito eggs samples, tested positive for the East African ZIKV lineage, suggesting the possibility of mosquito eggs serving as viral reservoirs. Sequencing of the C-prM fragment from both clinical and mosquito samples enabled the construction of a phylogenetic tree with sequences from NCBI. Revealing a significant divergence, with samples clustering with African lineages, particularly the East African lineage, indicating a potential introduction of these lineages into regions outside Africa. This study emphasizes the value of genomic data to uncover the origins, transmission patterns, and evolutionary dynamics of ZIKV, providing key insights into the lineage diversity and epidemiological significance of this arbovirus.