Congenital Abnormalities of Zika Infection in Florida

This study aims to address the research gap of congenital infection associated with Zika virus, long-term consequences of Zika infection in uterus, and discrimination between microcephaly caused by Zika infection and other diseases. The study will use secondary databases and other research evidence to obtain data and use powerful statistical evidence to support the theories and possibilities of the researches.

Running head: CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
Doctoral study of Zika virus
Congenital abnormalities of Zika infection in florida
Name of the student:
Name of the university
Author note:

1
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
Prospectus: congenital abnormalities of zika infection in florida
Problem statement
Zika virus infection is a mosquito borne viral disease, which is resembles to any other
disease caused by family of flaviviridae such as dengue. However, recent secondary data and
epidemiological studies provided the evidences, which stated the association of zika virus with
many neurological disorders in adults and complication during pregnancy in women. This virus
also associated with disease like Guillain Barre syndroms where immune cells of the individual
attack nerve cells. Recent studies suggested that all the infants who are infected with zika virus
suffered from microcephaly. Center of disease control and prevention stated that aapproximately
21% increase of number of babies born with neurological defects because diagnosis of zika virus
was not conducted during pregnancy (Zika Information for Parents, 2018).. Besides, other
neurological problem also observed associated with zika virus. Some infants with zika virus
infection do not experience microcephaly from birth but later in life, they experience slow
growth of head. However, the distinction is difficult, as not every pregnant woman with zika
virus infection will have baby with severe neurological defects. Moreover, the dilemma also
faced by a significant number of searchers as Microcephaly also occurred because of many other
reasons such as genetic pattern, certain infections caused by other microbes and toxins. Although
the size of the brain and other neurological abnormalities resembles to the infection symptoms of
zikavirus, studies are not able to discriminate (Florida Department of Health ,2018)..

2
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
Therefore, ,many infants and adults has to suffer life time with different neurological disorders
because many studies failed to address certain questions.
Purpose of the study
The main purpose of this study is to address the research gap of congenital infection
associated with zika virus such as researchers failed to discover long term consequences of Zika
infection in uterus. Many pregnant women in US suffered because of lack of proper researches in
the field of zika virus. Research gaps also observed in the field where scientist failed to
discriminate between microcephaly caused by zika infection and microcephaly caused by any
other disease.
Significance of the study
The significance of this study is to give a framework to microbiologist and medical expertise for
understanding the difference between normal microcephaly and zika virus associated
microcephaly, period of time when zika virus infection occurred in pregnant women so that they
can take preventive measure. In addition, this study will also provide a framework of long-term
health outcome for children and infant so that health care centers are able to take preventive
measures against this deadly virus.
Background
Congenital abnormalities due to zika virus infection follow a unique pattern of defect of
infant during pregnancy when mother already infect with zika virus. Severity such as

3
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
microcephaly along with skull of infants partially collapsed, decrease of brain tissue, damage of
pigment of eyes and part of the brain, which can lead to blindness. Through accumulated
evidences CDC researchers found out that about 3 babies in 1000 suffered because of birth
defect due to zika virus (Costello et al.,2016) . Approximately 49% were born with small skull
size due to zika infection and 9% born with abnormalities in vision due to eye defect. In addition,
few evidences of CDC data bases suggested that 22% suffered from nerve damages such as joint
pain, defect in movement (US Zika Pregnancy and Infant Registry | CDC, 2018). The prime
reason behind this increase is that majority of pregnant women do not go through diagnosis of
zika virus as they did not show any symptoms during pregnancy.Subsequently, infant’s has to
experience long-term physical impairment. Many babies experience frequent seizers, difficulty in
feeding and movement of muscles. Babies also show slow growth of intellect and other genetical
difficulties. Many infants do not shows microcephaly during birth but later in life they
experience postnatal microcephaly. Also,many pregnant women experience miscarriage, doctors
are not able to find out the reason behind this miscarriage. However, Zika birth defect
surveillance helps researchers to track infants with birth defect potentially related to zika virus
irrespective of lab testing during pregnancy. This surveillance reduces the possibility of infection
over the year even in women who never showed any symptoms of zika infection.Therefore, by
conducting this study it will be easier for medical experts to reduce the risk of congenital
abnormalities associated with zika virus and long term outcome of the infection.
Framework
The framework of congenital abnormalities associated with ziak virus infection becomes
an important part of zika virus studies in medical field. the major area of concern is the rapid

4
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
increase of incidents where infants born with different physiological defects , specifically
microcephaly. Research teams of World health organization are conducting several studies,
which will provide the medical expertise a template to prevent this loss of infants. However,
every study failed to address the difference between microcephaly caused by zika virus and
microcephaly. A deep and clear insight of existing relationship only achieved by using critical
analysis of various studies and databases that will provide the ways to discrimination between
microcephaly by other disease and zika infection. Since, Microcephaly is a rare condition where
babies born with small skulls structure, there no specific test that will discriminate different
microcephalies. However, sometimes ultrasound scan in pregnancy provide the estimation of
microcephaly. Microcephaly as a cause of zika infection is difficult to predict. The ultrasound in
28weeks can help sometimes, measurement of skulls and other genetic diagnosis during
pregnancy sometimes helps to discriminate (Zika Virus, 2018). Moreover, zika birth defect
surveillance also helps to track the infection and impairment in infants even if there is no sign
and symptoms of the zika infection. Another way of detection is use of US Zika pregnancy and
infant registry.
Research question
1) How microcephaly from other infection and microcephaly from zika infection are
discriminated?
2) What are the consequences of long term outcome of congenital abnormalities of zika virus
infection?.

5
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
Nature of the study
In order to get the exact reason for microcephaly due to zika virus infection and signs and
symptoms the several practical and theoretical qualitative and quantitative data studies will
conduct. In order to direct the research for congenital abnormalities, diagnosis of zika virus will
be done for every pregnant women irrespective of zika virus symptoms and also statistical
evidences will be analyzed to get accurate result. Ultrasound and measurement of the skull of
infant infected with zika virus will be taken in order to confirm the differences. Besides,
Individual introspection will be done in order to understand the long-term outcome.
Secondary data bases and source of information
In order to get the exact estimation secondary data bases will be used which includes
center of disease control and prevention, different accumulated statistical data, results of
ultrasounds, studies of world health organization. Besides, other research evidence such as US.
Government open data access select health for health-related datasets will be used to get the
research, Pub med, child care and early education research collection, data sharing for
demographic research will be used for further studies.

6
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
Possible analytical strategies
The possible analytical strategy for obtaining data will be through studies of each data,
qualitative data need to compare with previous data obtained by secondary databases and other
researches. Other possible analysis of the data will be use of powerful statistical evidences that
will support the theories and possibilities of the researches. For analysis of quantitative data,
diagnosis of zika infection and possibilities of development of microcephaly also will be
compared with signs and symptoms of the pregnant women.

7
CONGENITAL ABNORMALITIES OF ZIKA INFECTION IN FLORIDA
References:
Costello, A., Dua, T., Duran, P., Gülmezoglu, M., Oladapo, O. T., Perea, W., ... & Saxena, S. (2016).
Defining the syndrome associated with congenital Zika virus infection. Bulletin of the World
Health Organization, 94(6), 406.
Florida Department of Health. (2018). Birth Defects | Retrieved from
http://www.floridahealth.gov/Diseases-and-Conditions/birth-defects/index.html
US Zika Pregnancy and Infant Registry | CDC. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/zika/research/registry.html
Zika Information for Parents. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/zika/parents/index.html
Zika Virus. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/zika/healtheffects/birth_defects.html