Association between microcephaly and hearing disorders in children exposed or suspected of exposure to the Zika virus during the intrauterine period

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the association between microcephaly and hearing disorders in children with exposed or suspected of exposure to Zika virus (ZIKV) during the intrauterine period. Methods This cross-sectional study, we enrolled children exposed or suspected of being exposed to ZIKV and born to mothers with confirmed or suspected ZIKV infection during pregnancy, admitted to the hospital between April 2016 and July 2018, and followed up until September 2021. All children underwent at least one automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) test. For analysis, the patients were divided into four groups: those with microcephaly, without microcephaly, suspected ZIKV infection, and controls. Other causes of microcephaly were excluded. Hearing impairment was assessed using the AABR to determine associations with microcephaly or central nervous system (CNS) abnormalities. Results Of the 134 children included, 34 (25.4%) were diagnosed with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), of whom 28 (82.4%) had microcephaly, and the remaining six (17.6%) without microcephaly. Among the 28 children with microcephaly, 3 (10.7%) had abnormal AABR. Among children without microcephaly (n = 106), 3 (2.8%) had abnormal AABR (p = 0.09). Conclusion In our study population, children with and without microcephaly had abnormal AABR.