Prevalence and diagnostic accuracy of microcephaly in a pediatric cohort in Brazil: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Background: The Zika virus garnered global attention in 2015 due to a Brazilian epidemic, prompting a public health emergency over a surge in microcephaly cases in newborns. Long-term monitoring and care are crucial, and studies on affected children without microcephaly are essential for understanding their development. This study aims to evaluate the motor development of children over two years old exposed to the Zika virus in Jundiaí, Brazil. Method: This is a cross-sectional, comparative study integrated into the Jundiaí Zika cohort (JZC) project. The assessment instrument was the Movement Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (MABC-2), which measures the motor development of children and adolescents. Children with severe comorbidities and/or disorders that prevented them from doing the tasks were excluded. Results: 69 children aged 44 to 80 months completed the assessment, divided into two groups: 25 children in the Exposed group and 44 children in the Non-Exposed group. The Exposed group presented an average Total Standard Score (TSS) of 8.52 (2.97), and the Non-Exposed group presented an average TSS of 9.56 (2.97). Both groups remained in the Green Zone of the assessment, showing a satisfactory development mechanism. Conclusion: This study showed that preschool children congenitally exposed to the Zika virus without microcephaly showed satisfactory motor development compared to children in the Non-Exposed group. Trial registration:This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí (CAAE 55278022.7.0000.5412).

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Importance of Neuroimaging in Infants with Microcephaly

Maheshwari,

Huisman,

Mhanna

et al. 2023

Newborn

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Microcephaly is diagnosed in infants and children with a head circumference (HC) 2 standard deviations less than average, accounting for age and gender. There is not a standard method of diagnosis, as growth charts vary by country and methodology used. The most popular method of diagnosis is the use of a tape to measure a child's head. There are various conundrums that affect diagnoses: volume of the brain, deformities in skull shape that affect size measurements, and the etiology of microcephaly. The size of the skull is not the most important factor in diagnosing microcephaly, but rather the volume of the brain. Finally, a distinction between primary and secondary microcephaly must be made; primary microcephaly develops prenatally, and secondary microcephaly develops postnatally. The effects of primary microcephaly are generally more severe, but through imaging, it can be detected before birth. This article analyzes various conditions in which neuroimaging can add considerable information to current methods of clinical evaluation. There is a clear need for a multifaceted approach.

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Prevalence and diagnostic accuracy of microcephaly in a pediatric cohort in Brazil: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Cited by 3 publications

References 21 publications

Assessing the hearing of children exposed to zika virus with an initially normal newborn hearing screen: a longitudinal cohort study

Assessing the hearing of children exposed to zika virus with an initially normal newborn hearing screen: a longitudinal cohort study

Motor Development of Preschool Children Congenital Exposed to Zika Virus Without Microcephaly

Importance of Neuroimaging in Infants with Microcephaly

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