An
IgM antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Zika virus
was performed on the cerebrospinal fluid samples of seven of the eight infants,
and other congenital infections were ruled out.
‘Congenital Zika syndrome has been associated with retinal abnormalities in the newborn, suggests a new study.’
Among the eight infants included in the study, seven who underwent
cerebrospinal fluid analysis for Zika virus had positive findings for
IgM antibodies. Eleven of the 16 eyes (69%) of the eight infants had
retinal alterations and OCT imaging was performed in nine (82%) of
them.
Optical coherence tomography was also performed in one unaffected
eye. The main OCT findings included the abnormalities of severe
neurosensory retinal thinning with discontinuation of the ellipsoid zone
associated with choroidal thinning, and a hyperreflectivity underlying
the atrophic retinal pigment epithelium.
"The use of OCT technology in this case series showed severe
involvement of the neurosensory retina, including the internal and
external layers, and the choroid. Although these findings provide
important new information about this devastating disease, they are not
unique to CZS, and therefore OCT cannot be used to differentiate CZS
from other retinal diseases. Nevertheless, the OCT findings herein
identified confirm the primary involvement of the retina in infants with
CZS. They indicate severe visual impairment in newborns; however,
further studies should confirm the accuracy of this statement by
correlating the findings with visual function in the future," the
authors write.
Source: Eurekalert
