Children from Zika virus-affected pregnancies appear to have immune differences Their immune systems favor certain types of immune cells over others This could leave them vulnerable to infections like diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, even if they’ve been vaccinated MONDAY, July 22, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Children exposed to Zika virus in the womb might suffer long-term damage to their immune system, a new study warns. Zika virus is known to cause microcephaly, brain disabilities and other birth defects in about 5% of children whose mothers contract Zika virus while pregnant, researchers said. But this study suggests that the 95% of children born of women infected with Zika during pregnancy might have been affected by the virus nonetheless, in subtle ways that will affect their future health.
“The medical field has a very specific definition of congenital Zika syndrome. The children must have impaired skull or brain development,” said lead researcher Suan-Sin Foo , a maternal-fetal virologist with the Cleveland Clinic. “Our study clearly shows that there’s much more to this condition than meets the eye.
” For the study, researchers analyzed blood samples taken from newborn and 2-year-old children whose mothers were infected by the Zika virus during a large outbreak in Brazil in 2015. Analysis revealed highly elevated levels of inflammation even two years after the Zika infection had cleared, researchers found. The children’s immune systems also favored pr.