Epilepsy and EEG Abnormalities in Congenital Zika Syndrome

The congenital Zika syndrome is a new entity of a group of etiologies that can lead to microcephaly and other brain damages during pregnancy, such as toxoplasmosis, rubeola, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex. The Zika virus crosses the placental barrier and, predominantly, affects neuronal progenitor cells. This disruptive process results in severe cortical developmental disorder, calcifications, cortical and subcortical atrophies, and malformations of the cerebellum, brain stem, and spinal cord. Children with congenital Zika syndrome have a set of clinical findings, such as cerebral palsy, dysphagia, orthopedic deformities, visual and auditory impairment, and, rarely, hydrocephalus. Because of the severity of brain lesions, epilepsy is a common finding and a frequent cause of increased morbidity. The prevalence of epilepsy in different series of patients ranges from 37.7% to 71.4%. The aim of this study is to review the studies published so far regarding epilepsy and the EEG pattern in series of patients with congenital Zika syndrome.