Diagnosis and management of infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Abstract Congenital cytomegalovirus infection (cCMV) is the most common congenital infection, occurring in approximately 0.5% of live births. Most infected newborns are asymptomatic, but up to 20% develop sensorineural hearing loss or other permanent neurologic sequelae. The presentation of newborns...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Paediatrics & child health 2017-05, Vol.22 (2), p.72-74
Main Authors: Gantt, Soren, Bitnun, Ari, Renaud, Christian, Kakkar, Fatima, Vaudry, Wendy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antiviral drugs
Childrens health
Cytomegalovirus
Infections
Medical diagnosis
Newborn babies
Pediatrics
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Summary:Abstract Congenital cytomegalovirus infection (cCMV) is the most common congenital infection, occurring in approximately 0.5% of live births. Most infected newborns are asymptomatic, but up to 20% develop sensorineural hearing loss or other permanent neurologic sequelae. The presentation of newborns with symptomatic cCMV is highly variable, and the infection is usually not diagnosed in the absence of a screening program. Newborn cCMV screening programs are estimated to be beneficial and cost-effective, and are increasingly being implemented. Diagnosis requires direct detection of virus in a sample obtained before 3 weeks of life, and is best performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of saliva or urine, either of which is more sensitive than dried blood spot. Antiviral treatment of selected newborns with cCMV-related disease appears to improve hearing and neurocognitive outcomes. All infected infants should be evaluated promptly to determine appropriate therapy, and receive close audiologic and developmental follow-up.
ISSN:1205-7088
1918-1485
DOI:10.1093/pch/pxx002