Feeding characteristics and growth among children with prenatal exposure to Zika virus with and without microcephaly in the microcephaly epidemic research group pediatric cohort.

Objective: To describe the feeding characteristics and growth of children with prenatal exposure to Zika virus (ZIKV) from birth to 48 months.

Design: Using data from the prospective Microcephaly Epidemic Research Group Pediatric Cohort (MERG-PC), children without microcephaly born to mothers with evidence of ZIKV infection during pregnancy (ZIKV-exposed children without microcephaly) and children with Zika-related microcephaly were compared using repeated cross-sectional analyses within the following age strata: birth; 1 to 12; 13 to 24; 25 to 36; and 37 to 48 months. The groups were compared in relation to prematurity, birth weight, breastfeeding, alternative feeding routes, dysphagia and anthropometric profiles based on the World Health Organization Anthro z-scores (weight-length/height, weight-age, length/height-age and BMI-age).

Comparison of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Brazilian Children with Prenatal Exposure to Zika Virus, With and Without Microcephaly.

Severe brain damage associated with Zika-related microcephaly (ZRM) have been reported to result in oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD); however, it is unknown if OPD presents in children with prenatal Zika virus (ZIKV) exposure but only mild or undetectable abnormalities. The aims of this study were: to compare the frequency and characteristics of OPD in children with ZRM and in children without microcephaly born to mothers who tested polymerase chain reaction positive (PCR+) for ZIKV during pregnancy; and to investigate the concordance of caregiver reports of OPD with the diagnosis from the clinical swallowing assessment (CSA). Between Mar/2017 and May/2018, we evaluated 116 children (n = 58 with microcephaly, n = 58 children without microcephaly born to ZIKV PCR + mothers) participating in the Microcephaly Epidemic Research Group (MERG) cohort of children born during the 2015-2016 ZIKV epidemic in Pernambuco, Brazil.