Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2018 Feb;141(Suppl 2):S146-S153.
doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-2038C.

Public Health Approach to Addressing the Needs of Children Affected by Congenital Zika Syndrome

Cheryl S Broussard  1 , Carrie K Shapiro-Mendoza  2 , Georgina Peacock  3 , Sonja A Rasmussen  4 , Cara T Mai  3 , Emily E Petersen  2 , Romeo R Galang  3 , Kimberly Newsome  3 , Megan R Reynolds  3 , Suzanne M Gilboa  3 , Coleen A Boyle  3 , Cynthia A Moore  3
Affiliations
Review

Public Health Approach to Addressing the Needs of Children Affected by Congenital Zika Syndrome

Cheryl S Broussard et al. Pediatrics. 2018 Feb.

Abstract

We have learned much about the short-term sequelae of congenital Zika virus (ZIKV) infection since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention activated its ZIKV emergency response in January 2016. Nevertheless, gaps remain in our understanding of the full spectrum of adverse health outcomes related to congenital ZIKV infection and how to optimize health in those who are affected. To address the remaining knowledge gaps, support affected children so they can reach their full potential, and make the best use of available resources, a carefully planned public health approach in partnership with pediatric health care providers is needed. An essential step is to use population-based data captured through surveillance systems to describe congenital Zika syndrome. Another key step is using collected data to investigate why some children exhibit certain sequelae during infancy and beyond, whereas others do not, and to describe the clustering of anomalies and the timing of when these anomalies occur, among other research questions. The final critical step in the public health framework for congenital Zika syndrome is an intervention strategy with evidence-based best practices for longer-term monitoring and care. Adherence to recommended evaluation and management procedures for infants with possible congenital ZIKV infection, including for those with less obvious developmental and medical needs at birth, is essential. It will take many years to fully understand the effects of ZIKV on those who are congenitally infected; however, the lifetime medical and educational costs as well as the emotional impact on affected children and families are likely to be substantial.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST: The authors have indicated they have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Framework for a public health approach to CZS.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Rasmussen SA, Jamieson DJ, Honein MA, Petersen LR. Zika virus and birth defects—reviewing the evidence for causality. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(20):1981–1987. - PubMed
    1. Petersen EE, Meaney-Delman D, Neblett-Fanfair R, et al. Update: interim guidance for preconception counseling and prevention of sexual transmission of Zika virus for persons with possible Zika virus exposure - United States, September 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65(39):1077–1081. - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Zika virus: transmission. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/transmission/index.html. Accessed January 2, 2018.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Travelers’ health: World map of areas with risk of Zika. Available at: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/world-map-areas-with-zika. Accessed January 2, 2018.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Zika virus: 2017 case counts in the US. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/zika/reporting/2017-case-counts.html. Accessed January 2, 2018.

MeSH terms