Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) 1
This study investigated clinically recognised, confirmed and suspected congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection. It aimed to ascertain the population prevalence of cCMV disease, management strategies, and clinical disease outcome. A further objective was the feasibility of using routinely collected neonatal dried blood spots to confirm or exclude a diagnosis of cCMV infection in infants who present after 3 weeks of age.
Lead investigator
Dr P Tookey
About the study
At the time of surveillance, primary or recurrent maternal CMV infection in pregnancy could result in fetal infection. Although most infants had no associated problems, cCMV could cause neonatal death or severe disease, and long-term disability in 10-20% of infected children.
The incidence of cCMV (of all live births worldwide) was 0.3% to 2%. Earlier British studies suggested an incidence of 3-4/1000 live births, but this varied amongst different population groups and may have changed over time.
Congenital infection could only be confirmed based on samples collected in the first three weeks of life. Detection of CMV in later samples was likely to reflect infection acquired at delivery or postnatally, which was common but rarely associated with an adverse outcome.
In Britain, about 20% of children probably became infected by 12 months of age. About 10% of congenitally infected infants were symptomatic at birth, and most of these had long-term complications, for example cerebral palsy, intellectual disability and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). In contrast, most asymptomatic infants developed normally, although a minority had neurological sequelae, usually SNHL. Infants with cCMV who were asymptomatic at birth or had non-specific symptoms were unlikely to be identified.
This surveillance study was part of a planned programme of work, and a parallel research project to investigate the contribution of cCMV to serious congenital hearing loss was being developed.
Duration
February 2001 – February 2003
Published papers
Townsend CL, Peckham CS, Tookey PA. Surveillance of congenital cytomegalovirus in the UK and Ireland. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2011 Nov;96(6):F398-403. doi: 10.1136/adc.2010.199901. Epub 2011 Feb 2. PMID: 21289013.
BPSU 18th Annual report 2003 -2004
Support Group
Congenital CMV Association
Web: http://cmvaction.org.uk Email: info@cmvaction.org.uk