title: Developmental outcomes in young children born to mothers with West Nile illness during pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  West Nile virus (WNV) infection is associated with acute morbidity and mortality in adults and children. Information on the effects of maternal WNV illness during pregnancy on early childhood development is limited. This study was designed to examine the relationship between maternal WNV illness during pregnancy and birth and developmental outcomes at age 3 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mother-child participants were identified using a national surveillance registry for women with WNV illness during pregnancy. Maternal and infant health data and relevant family characteristics were obtained through medical record reviews and maternal questionnaires. All infants received ophthalmologic examinations. Child development was evaluated at age 3 years using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a group, the children's (N = 11) birth weight, head circumference, and infant ophthalmologic examination results were within age expectations; one child was born preterm (gestational age 36 weeks). Mean (SD) age at the time of Bayley-III testing was 36.7 (3.8) months. The group's mean performance on the Bayley-III was at or above age level in all domains, but one child showed a mild delay in the Adaptive domain. The variability observed in this sample (1/53 [1.9%] Domain scores < -2.0 SDs) was consistent with expectations based upon the distribution of Bayley-III Domain scores in the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal WNV infection does not appear to be associated with global developmental delays in young children. These results are preliminary, however, and require confirmation in future research.
authors.affiliation: Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sirois
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pridjian
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McRae
authors.forename: Alison F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Hinckley
authors.forename: Sonja A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kissinger
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Buekens
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: Kenneth F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Swan
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Dawn M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wesson
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D012042:Registries; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014901:West Nile Fever / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: West Nile virus; early childhood development; infancy; pregnancy