Abstract
The implications of Zika Virus exposure in pregnancy for early infant growth remains poorly described. The main goal of this study is to compare the growth, body composition, and feeding modality of infants in the first three months of life by prenatal Zika Virus exposure status. We selected an analytical cohort of 115 infants born without microcephaly, comprising 56 infants with qRT-PCR confirmed exposure to ZIKV during gestation and 59 infants born to women with presumptively no evidence of ZIKV in pregnancy. Infants were evaluated at birth, 1 and 3 months of age in terms of anthropometrics, body composition All the results were adjusted by maternal age, maternal BMI and gestational age. We observe no differences between anthropometric measurements at birth. Mothers in exposed group showed higher BMI. At 1 month and 3 months of age there were differences in mid arm circumference, arm muscle circumference and fat free mass. Weight and length was less in the ZIKV exposed in pregnancy infants and statistically different at 3 month of age. The findings of this investigation provide new evidence that ZIKV exposure in pregnancy may be associated with differences in body composition.
Highlights
The implications of Zika Virus exposure in pregnancy for early infant growth remains poorly described
In early 2015, Brazilian public health authorities first identified an increase in a “dengue-like illness”[1], subsequently laboratory-confirmed to be caused by Zika virus (ZIKV)[1,2]
The study population consisted of a total of 115 infants, of whom 56 (48.7%) were intra-uterus exposed to ZIKV and 59 (51.3%) were unexposed
Summary
The implications of Zika Virus exposure in pregnancy for early infant growth remains poorly described. Several case series indicate that children with neurologic damage from congenital ZIKV infections may be at heightened risk of dysphagia[19,20], arising from dysfunction in tongue movement and the pharyngeal phase of swallowing[21] To test this hypothesis, we followed up a subset of 115 infants without microcephaly who were participating in a prospective cohort study of children born during the ZIKV epidemic in Brazil. In comparing 56 infants with qtRT-PCR (Quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction) confirmed exposure to ZIKV during www.nature.com/scientificreports gestation with 59 infants born to women with no evidence of ZIKV in pregnancy, we aimed to improve understanding of how prenatal ZIKV exposure may influence the growth, body composition, and feeding modality of infants in the first three months of life
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