Agnathia otocephaly: A case from the Katanga Copperbelt

Background Agnathia otocephaly is a rare craniofacial malformation complex characterised by absent/hypoplastic mandible, abnormally positioned ears meeting at level of neck. Besides mutations in two genes,PRRX1andOTX2, a teratogenic cause has been suggested. A higher risk of congenital malformations has been associated with paternal work in mining in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's part of the Copperbelt. Case We studied a female neonate with a clinical diagnosis of agnathia otocephaly, stillborn in Lubumbashi in 2019. The child's father had been working as an artisanal mineworker at the time of conception. Results Genetic analysis did not reveal a causal mutation. The concentrations of cobalt, arsenic cadmium, and uranium in cord blood of the infant were much higher than those of normal neonates from a previous study. Conclusion In the absence of identified genetic causes, we hypothesize this case of agnathia otocephaly was related to an exogenous cause, possibly the father's mining-related job.