Viral factors potentially involved in atypical and neonatal chikungunya cases

The pathophysiological mechanisms underlying CHIKV severe neuropathies, and atypical neonatal infection due to vertical transmission have not been fully elucidated. On the other side, arbovirus intrahost genetic diversity is thought to be linked to viral pathogenesis. To determine whether particular viral variants could be somehow associated with these conditions, we analyzed the intrahost genetic diversity of CHIKV in infected patients with neurological manifestations and mothers infected during the intrapartum period, plus their babies following vertical transmission.