Epidemiological profile of 39 cases of microcephaly caused by congenital infections diagnosed in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2015-2017

Authors

  • Luciana Friedrich Departamento de Pediatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil; Serviço de Neonatologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
  • Silvani Herber Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
  • Anna Pires Terra Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Serviço de Informação Teratogenética (SIAT), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
  • André Anjos da Silva Serviço de Informação Teratogenética (SIAT), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Curso de Medicina, Universidade do Vale de Taquari (UNIVATES). Lajeado, RS, Brasil.
  • Maria Teresa Viera Sanseverino Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Faculdade de Medicina, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
  • Lucas Rosa Fraga Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
  • Fernanda Sales Luiz Vianna Programa de Pós-graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Serviço de Informação Teratogenética (SIAT), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
  • Ida Vanessa Doederlein Schwartz Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
  • Lavínia Schuler-Faccini Serviço de Genética Médica, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Serviço de Informação Teratogenética (SIAT), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Genética Médica Populacional (INaGeMP). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.

Keywords:

Microcephaly, Congenital Infection, Zika Virus

Abstract

Introduction: Microcephaly is a clinical finding that can arise from congenital anomalies or emerge after childbirth. Maternal infections acquired during pregnancy can result in characteristic brain damage in the newborn (NB), which may be visible even in the fetal stage.

Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of newborns with reported microcephaly and diagnosed with congenital infections in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2015 and 2017.

Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out on data collected from the Public Health Event Registry as well as from medical records. The investigation included serologies for toxoplasmosis and rubella; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Zika virus (ZIKV) in the blood and cytomegalovirus in the urine; non-treponemal tests for syphilis; and brain imaging tests.

Results: Of the 257 reported cases of microcephaly, 39 were diagnosed with congenital infections. Severe microcephaly was identified in 13 patients (33.3%) and 51.3% of the cases showed alterations in brain imaging tests. In relation to the diagnosis of congenital infections, three patients (7.7%) were diagnosed with ZIKV, nine (23.1%) with cytomegalovirus, nine (23.1%) with toxoplasmosis, and 18 (46.1%) with congenital syphilis. The three cases of ZIKV showed calcification in brain imaging tests, signs of arthrogryposis, excess occipital skin and irritability, characterizing the typical phenotype of ZIKV infection.

Conclusion: Most cases of congenital infection had severe neurological lesions, particularly the cases of ZIKV, which can cause neurodevelopmental delays and sequelae in these infants throughout early childhood.

Keywords: Microcephaly; Congenital Infection; Zika Virus

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Author Biography

Luciana Friedrich, Departamento de Pediatria, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil; Serviço de Neonatologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.

Professora Adjunta do Departamento de Pediatria da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Doutora em Pediatria pela UFRGS.

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Published

2019-12-20

How to Cite

1.
Friedrich L, Herber S, Terra AP, da Silva AA, Sanseverino MTV, Fraga LR, Vianna FSL, Schwartz IVD, Schuler-Faccini L. Epidemiological profile of 39 cases of microcephaly caused by congenital infections diagnosed in the state of Rio Grande do Sul between 2015-2017. Clin Biomed Res [Internet]. 2019 Dec. 20 [cited 2025 Jun. 24];39(3). Available from: https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/hcpa/article/view/91329

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 3 (2019): Clinical and Biomedical Research

Section

Original Articles

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