Levels of Angiopoietin 2 Are Predictive for Mortality in Patients Infected With Yellow Fever Virus

In 2018 there was a large yellow fever outbreak in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with a high fatality rate. Yellow fever virus can cause, among other symptoms, hemorrhage and disseminated intravascular coagulation, indicating a role for endothelial cells in disease pathogenesis. Here, we conducted a case-control study and measured markers related to endothelial damage in plasma and its association with mortality. We found that angiopoietin 2 is strongly associated with a fatal outcome and could serve as a predictive marker for mortality. This could be used to monitor severe cases and provide care to improve disease outcome. Markers of endothelial cell activation were measured in patients with yellow fever virus infection at the time of presentation. Extremely increased levels of angiopoietin 2 were detected in nonsurvivors vs survivors, suggesting that angiopoietin 2 could serve as a predictive marker for mortality.

Automated summary

In a large yellow fever outbreak in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2018, it was found that angiopoietin 2, a marker related to endothelial damage, is strongly associated with mortality. This suggests that angiopoietin 2 could serve as a predictive marker for fatal outcomes in yellow fever cases.