Abstract

Objective: In 2015, it was noticed an ascent in the quantity of micro cephalic infants related with a background marked by nonspecific febrile affliction and rash during pregnancy in Brazil. Since then, microcephaly has become a major concern for public health. The connection between the Zika virus and congenital microcephaly was discovered a few months later. A brand-new TORCH member, the arbovirus Zika infects the developing brain, disrupts synaptogenesis, and causes other lesions of the central nervous system. It causes congenital infection through vertical transmission. The objective of this article is to report the Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) and to emphasize the importance of following up with affected children to better understand the evolutionary history of this new agent, optimize healthcare delivery, and enhance patient well-being.

Methods: To characterize the congenital Zika syndrome and recommend the systematization of some examinations and procedures for evaluating children exposed to ZIKV with or without microcephaly, based on the author's own experience, we conducted a review of the most pertinent literature regarding clinical manifestations and neuroimaging findings related to neurotropism of the Zika virus.

Conclusions: Vertical ZIKV infection can result in a wide range of neurological symptoms that go beyond microcephaly. Even children who do not have microcephaly should be monitored during their first few years of life because infection can cause neuropsicomotor delay, epilepsy, and visual abnormalities or be asymptomatic. The objective of the appropriate prospective multidisciplinary follow-up of these patients is to comprehend the natural history of this new agent and to improve their development and quality of life for themselves and their families.