EP498: Detection of congenital cytomegalovirus infection on high-risk newborn population

Abstract

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infections in infants, causes more children to have permanent disabilities than Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, and pediatric HIV/AIDS combined. Up to 0.5% of babies in the US are born with congenital Cytomegalovirus infection, and 10% of these babies can have symptoms such as hearing loss. This makes congenital CMV infection the leading environmental cause of hearing loss. Upon early detection, babies with congenital CMV infection can be treated with antiviral medicines, which may reduce the risk of hearing loss caused by this infection.