All babies born to women with evidence of Zika virus infection during their pregnancy should have their hearing tested, says The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Hearing loss has now been associated with microcephaly and Zika.

More information is needed to understand the prevalence and spectrum of hearing loss in children with congenital Zika virus infection, says the CDC.

This new study says babies with suspected Zika exposure should get hearing tests, even if they appear normal at birth. Other viruses known to cause hearing loss in babies can be delayed, with hearing loss getting worse over time.

Dr. Margaret Honein is an epidemiologist at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We’re learning more every day about the impact of congenital Zika virus infection,” Honein tells WSB.

An assessment of a series of 70 infants (zero-10 months) with microcephaly and Zika showed five infants had hearing loss.

“Here they found about six percent of the children with microcephaly had sensorineural hearing loss,” Honein says.

She adds, “There may also be children that don’t have microcephaly, but that hearing loss is perhaps the only feature of Zika virus infection that manifests… That wasn’t included in this report.”

When asked whether the hearing loss could be permanent, Honein says, “I think it’s too early to know, but it certainly could be a permanent hearing loss.

“And I think we also want to emphasize the importance not only of just screening at birth, but doing follow-up screenings because there also could be later onset hearing loss that occurs with congenital infections.”

Honein says the CDC recommends “any children with evidence of congenital Zika virus infection would receive hearing screenings."