Zika virus infection during pregnancy and microcephaly in newborns: an integrative literature review

Abstract

Fever from the Zika virus is poorly known, with only 18% of human infections having clinical manifestations. In recent months, the number of cases of neonatal microcephaly, possibly related to the Zika virus, grew significantly in Brazil, emerging as a global health problem. The aim of this study was to seek evidences in the literature to gather and synthesize the knowledge produced on the relationship between the infection from the Zika virus during pregnancy and the neonatal consequences through an integrative literature review. The search for references was carried out in the databases of BVS, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, in government sites (Ministry of Health and FIOCRUZ), and the World Health Organization, identifying four articles and four protocols that complied with the criteria established. The articles had a low level of evidence, but helped determine evidence of transplacental transmission of the Zika virus; however, there is still no evidence that the Zika virus triggers microcephaly.