Mowat-Wilson Syndrome

Abstract

Mowat-Wilson syndrome is a genetic disease caused by heterozygous mutations or deletions of the zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) gene. The syndrome is characterized by typical facial features, moderate-to-severe mental retardation, epilepsy and variable congenital malformations, including Hirschsprung disease, genital anomalies, congenital heart disease, agenesis of the corpus callosum, and eye defects. The prevalence of Mowat-Wilson syndrome is currently unknown, but it seems that Mowat-Wilson syndrome is underdiagnosed, particularly in patients without Hirschsprung disease. We report here the first Egyptian case of Mowat-Wilson syndrome who was conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The patient manifested bilateral sensorineural hearing loss--a new feature not previously reported in cases of Mowat-Wilson syndrome. This report describes the first Egyptian patient of Mowat-Wilson syndrome who was conceived after intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and provides a new evidence for the inclusion of deafness among the congenital defects of the syndrome.