Congenital Zika Syndrome: Background and Nutrition Care of Affected Infants

Feeding modifications and additional primary caregiver support for infants exposed to Zika virus or diagnosed with congenital Zika syndrome: a rapid review of the evidence

OBJECTIVE

Infants exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) or diagnosed with congenital Zika syndrome (CZVS) may present dysphagia, regurgitation and other feeding difficulties. They may require special feeding practices to minimise the risk of mortality, morbidity and developmental problems. Improving knowledge, skills and behaviours of caregivers may preserve health, maximise development and promote quality of life among affected infants. We reviewed intervention studies of modified feeding practices and additional primary caregiver support to improve outcomes among infants 0 to 12 months of age exposed to ZIKV or diagnosed with CZVS.

METHODS

Rapid review and meta-analysis. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE and contacted experts. The search is current to 18 July 2020. We planned a meta-analysis using fixed-effect models; if unfeasible, we intended to summarise studies narratively. We planned to assess risk of bias of included studies and quality of evidence using Cochrane guidance.

RESULTS

We identified 42 records for title and abstract screening; 14 were eligible for full-text assessment. Among these, no intervention studies were found. Eight observational studies reported on the nutritional status, feeding practices and outcomes among infants affected by ZIKV or diagnosed with CZVS. They are presented and discussed to provide a basis for future research.

CONCLUSIONS

While no intervention studies were found, evidence from eight observational studies highlights the need for early nutrition interventions and caregiver support among infants affected by ZIKV or diagnosed with CZSV. More research is needed to assess whether modifications of feeding practices and provision of additional primary caregiver support will impact outcomes of interest.