Congenital Zika Syndrome

A 20 m/o female presented to an eye clinic in Colombia for a follow-up eye exam. Ocular examination revealed a normal anterior segment exam, but fundus photos displayed focal pigment mottling in the macula bilaterally. These ocular findings were attributed to ocular involvement of Zika virus. Zika virus commonly involves the macula, leading to pigment mottling and chorioretinal scarring. Other ocular findings in Congenital Zika Syndrome include optic nerve hypoplasia, congenital glaucoma, congenital cataract, and iris coloboma. This patient also had neurologic abnormalities, including microcephaly, but it should be noted that ocular involvement of Zika can occur without involvement of the central nervous system. The patient was followed with serial ophthalmologic examinations until she died of aspiration at 2.5 years of age. The patient underwent enucleation of the right eye post-mortem, and the globe was obtained by the Florida Lions Ocular Pathology Laboratory for histopathologic analysis. 

Presentation Date: 09/19/2019

Issue Date: 08/01/2020