BACKGROUND: Congenital cytomegalovirus infection causes 20-30% of congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) cases. Early identification of CMV attributable cases and their successful treatment are often hampered by the late appearance of the damage in a high proportion of children both symptomatic and asymptomatic at birth. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the feasibility of a screening program aimed at finding congenitally infected babies followed by their audiological monitoring. STUDY DESIGN: Opinion-review article. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Frequency and severity of hearing loss due to congenital CMV suggest it maybe worthwhile setting up neonatal screening campaigns. Structures where SNHL can be diagnosed and treated exist already in many countries as part of universal neonatal audiological screening schemes. A test based on viral DNA extraction from neonatal dried blood spots on Guthrie cards and its amplification by means of a nested PCR (DBS test) seems to offer the best characteristics for use in screening. Clearly it will be necessary to calculate whether the costs of screening, diagnosis and follow-up, and the financial and emotional burden on the families of infected children, are up to the potential gain.
BACKGROUND:Congenital cytomegalovirus infection causes 20-30% of congenital sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) cases. Early identification of CMV attributable cases and their successful treatment are often hampered by the late appearance of the damage in a high proportion of children both symptomatic and asymptomatic at birth. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the feasibility of a screening program aimed at finding congenitally infected babies followed by their audiological monitoring. STUDY DESIGN: Opinion-review article. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Frequency and severity of hearing loss due to congenital CMV suggest it maybe worthwhile setting up neonatal screening campaigns. Structures where SNHL can be diagnosed and treated exist already in many countries as part of universal neonatal audiological screening schemes. A test based on viral DNA extraction from neonatal dried blood spots on Guthrie cards and its amplification by means of a nested PCR (DBS test) seems to offer the best characteristics for use in screening. Clearly it will be necessary to calculate whether the costs of screening, diagnosis and follow-up, and the financial and emotional burden on the families of infected children, are up to the potential gain.
Authors: John M DePasquale; Karen Freeman; Minal M Amin; Sohyun Park; Samantha Rivers; Richard Hopkins; Michael J Cannon; Bonifacio Dy; Sheila C Dollard Journal: Matern Child Health J Date: 2012-02
Authors: Ivan Gentile; Emanuela Zappulo; Maria Pia Riccio; Sandro Binda; Laura Bubba; Laura Pellegrinelli; Domenico Scognamiglio; Francesca Operto; Lucia Margari; Guglielmo Borgia; Carmela Bravaccio Journal: In Vivo Date: 2017 May-Jun Impact factor: 2.155
Authors: Jannick Verbeeck; Erwin Van Kerschaver; Elke Wollants; Kurt Beuselinck; Luc Stappaerts; Marc Van Ranst Journal: J Clin Microbiol Date: 2008-09-03 Impact factor: 5.948