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

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Audiology

Background:

• Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy poses risks to fetal development.
• Congenital Zika syndrome can manifest with various neurological and sensory deficits, including hearing loss.
• Early audiological monitoring is crucial for infants exposed to ZIKV in utero.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of hearing impairment in neonates and children with intrauterine ZIKV exposure.
• To assess the long-term audiological outcomes in children born to mothers infected with ZIKV during pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 30 children born to ZIKV-infected mothers was followed from birth (March 2016-January 2017).
• Repeated hearing assessments were conducted, including Universal Newborn Hearing Screening and follow-ups at 6, 13, 24, and 36 months.
• Children were categorized into RT-PCR positive (RT-PCR(+)) and RT-PCR negative (RT-PCR(-)) groups based on ZIKV detection.

Main Results:

• The cumulative incidence of hearing alteration reached 57.1% by 24 months of age.
• No significant difference in hearing alteration detection was observed between RT-PCR(+) and RT-PCR(-) groups.
• Sensorineural hearing loss was not detected in any of the children; all identified alterations were of the conductive type.

Conclusions:

• Intrauterine Zika virus exposure is associated with a significant incidence of conductive hearing alterations.
• The highest incidence of hearing alteration was observed at 24 months, underscoring the importance of sustained audiological surveillance.
• While sensorineural hearing loss was absent, the prevalence of conductive hearing impairment necessitates ongoing monitoring and intervention strategies for affected children.