Long-term consequences of Zika virus infections during pregnancy for school-aged children and their families in Brazil
Year of award: 2021
Grantholders
Dr Elizabeth Brickley
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
Prof Celina Martelli
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil
Prof Ricardo Ximenes
Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil
Prof Mauricio Barreto
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil
Prof Hannah Kuper
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom
Prof Sophie Eickmann
Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil
Dr Maria Moreira
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil
Dr Sandra Valongueiro-Alves
Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil
Prof Demócrito Miranda-Filho
Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil
Project summary
Zika virus infections during pregnancy can be transmitted across the placenta, disrupting fetal development and leading to structural anomalies and neurologic impairments collectively recognized as Congenital Zika Syndrome. While Zika virus transmission has waned globally, the devastating health and social consequences of the 2015-2017 pandemic endure for children with Congenital Zika Syndrome and their families. In this collaborative project based in Brazil, we will follow-up school-aged children with and without prenatal exposure to Zika virus and use epidemiological, large-scale data linkage, and social science methods to answer critical questions about the children's health and learning needs and to improve understanding of the long-term impacts for affected children's families. This project will provide a singular opportunity to define the clinical spectrum of Congenital Zika Syndrome in later childhood and to inform clinical decision-making and public policies (e.g., prenatal screening, educational adaptations, and social protection) related to Zika virus infections during pregnancy.