Effects of Zika in infants could show up several months after birth

As scientists seek to understand how prenatal exposure to Zika affects infants, a new study suggests that the effects of being exposed to the virus in the womb could manifest into the first year after birth, and even without signs of microcephaly. Scientists looked at data from 70 Colombian infants born to mothers infected with Zika when they were pregnant. At birth, the infants had normal head circumference sizes and no other signs of congenital Zika infection. These infants were then tested on their mobility, social cognition, and other markers of development at least once between when they were 4-18 months of age, and scientists found that the infants’ development, on average, declined the older they got. The CDC already suggests that infants born to Zika-infected mothers be monitored long term, and the study’s findings continue to support this recommendation, the authors write.