Researchers have found that an increase in cases of congenital zika syndrome (CZS) is associated with poor diet among mothers of infants. Congenital zika syndrome refers to congenital infection-related pathologies associated with the zika virus (ZIKV).

This syndrome involves devastating conditions, which have a great impact on the rest of the life of the person and their family. Such as small (microcephaly) and unfolded (lyscephalic) brain, retinal abnormalities, enlarged ventricle of the heart, inter-hemispheric connections in the brain and lack of calcification.

The study, published in the journal Science Advance, says that Brazil has been widely affected by ZIKV, but 75 percent of CZS has been found in the socio-economically disadvantaged region of the Northeast.

Researchers at Oxfor University in the US and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil said, “We knew that CZS has the highest levels of this increase in infants in Brazil’s lowest socioeconomic status areas. That’s why We have seen a possible nutritional link between ZIKV and potentially the most important co-factors. “

This study has shown that ZIKV congenital infection becomes even more dreadful due to some other reasons, including environmental co-factors, particularly protein deficiencies in the diet.

The link between zika virus infection and CZS was proved in previous studies, which helped researchers understand how the infection affected the development of the brain and blood vessels.