Forum on the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management of Zika Virus Infection among Infants

Wednesday and Thursday August 30-31, 2017

The Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) hosted a Forum in collaboration with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. This Forum was an opportunity to convene experts to review emerging evidence and collect individual input regarding the diagnosis, evaluation and management of infants with possible congenital Zika virus (Zika) infection.

Specific objectives included

• Reviewing emerging data to inform the evaluation and care of infants with possible congenital Zika infection
• Identifying strategies to use prenatal ultrasound and amniocentesis to inform the diagnosis and clinical management of infants with congenital Zika syndrome
• Identifying strategies that optimize communication between providers caring for an infant with congenital Zika exposure
• Exploring strategies to enhance coordination of care and transfer of health information from obstetric providers to the pediatrician at the systems-level for infants with possible congenital Zika exposure

Pregnant women in the United States, DC, and US territories have laboratory evidence of Zika virus infection. Infants with birth defects have been born to women with laboratory evidence of Zika infection during pregnancy in the United States. In August 2016, CDC released Interim Guidance for the Evaluation and Management of Infants with Possible Congenital Zika Virus Infection. Since that time, new information has become available and recently, CDC updated its interim guidance for healthcare providers caring for pregnant women with possible Zika exposure, which has implications for the guidance related to care and management of infants. As such, CDC is reviewing the new data to determine the appropriate care and support needed to care for these vulnerable infants and families.

During this Forum, pediatric specialists, obstetric specialists, non-governmental partners, and federal officials gathered at CDC and experts provided individual input regarding the clinical evaluation and management of congenitally exposed and infected infants in the United States. CDC collected this input, which will help inform potential future updates to the guidance for the clinical evaluation and management of infants and can inform strategies for communication and coordination of care.

Agenda [PDF – 3 pages]

Webcast Recordings

The general sessions describing the state of the science were webcast and recorded. Please click on the links below to view the recordings.

Welcome Remarks and Opening Scientific Sessions

During the Forum on the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management of Zika Virus Infection among Infants held at CDC on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, Drs. Brenda Fitzgerald, Karen Remley, and Christopher Zahn offered welcoming remarks; Dr. Henry Walke described the Emergency Response to Zika; Dr. Dana Meaney-Delman outlined the goals and objectives for the Forum; Dr. Marc Fischer provided an overview of Zika virus epidemiology; and Dr. Wendi Kuhnert-Tallman provided an overview of Zika virus laboratory diagnostics.

View the session here.

Scientific Sessions on the latest Zika Clinical Guidance for Pregnant Women and Infants

During the Forum on the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management of Zika Virus Infection among Infants held at CDC on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, Dr. Titilope Oduyebo reviewed the updated clinical guidance for healthcare providers caring for pregnant women with possible Zika virus infection and implications for their infants; Dr. Sonja Rasmussen provided an overview of the emerging evidence on clinical findings related to congenital Zika virus infection and reviewed the updated clinical guidance for healthcare providers caring for infants with possible congenital Zika virus exposure; and Dr. Miguel Valencia described the experience connecting families affected by Zika to care in Puerto Rico.

View the session here.