Prevalence and Clinical Attributes of Congenital Microcephaly — New York, 2013–2015

Abstract

What is already known about this topic?\rZika virus infection during pregnancy can cause severe congenital\rmicrocephaly. In New York, the baseline prevalence of severe\rcongenital microcephaly (defined by CDC and the National Birth\rDefects Prevention Network as head circumference <3rd\rpercentile for gestational age and sex) has not been known.\rWhat is added by this report?\rDuring 2013–2015, before documentation of widespread\rintroduction of imported Zika virus infection in the continental\rUnited States, the prevalence of severe congenital microcephaly\rin New York was 4.2 per 10,000 live births. Requests to birth\rhospitals identified 93% of cases, and statewide administrative\rdischarge data identified 90% of cases.\rWhat are the implications for public health practice?\rAdministrative data can enhance microcephaly case finding for\rbirth defects surveillance programs. Cases of congenital\rmicrocephaly must be clinically confirmed using anthropometric\rmeasurements to determine whether they meet the case\rdefinition for severe congenital microcephaly. A baseline\rprevalence estimate of severe congenital microcephaly can\renable estimation of risk attributable to Zika virus infection.