Prognosis of Babies with Zika-related Complications

Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos, MD, PhD, director of WHO Collaborating Center for Arbovirus and Research, Evandro Chagas Institute, discusses the prognosis of babies with Zika-related complications.

Interview Transcript (slightly modified for readability)

“In the babies that [are] born with microcephaly, other central nervous system malformations, and other extreme malformations, perhaps these babies will need life[-long] complete support, [with regards to] neurology, psychology, physical therapy, and other [complications], because [Zika] is most intense and severe when [babies are] born with this malformation.

Many of [these babies] die in a few minutes, few days, or few weeks after they’re born [with these Zika-related complications]. But those ones that survive will need assistance for [a] lifetime. Of course these babies [have other] immune system problems [because of] Zika virus infection. So they need assistance to fight against [some otherwise harmless] infections properly, [such as] pneumonia, severe diarrhea and other complications that can appear during Zika virus infection in [a] baby that is already born with microcephaly [or] other malformation. Probably the immune system is typically altered.”