Translational mini-review series on infectious disease: congenital cytomegalovirus infection: 50 years on.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the leading cause of congenital viral infection, with an incidence of 0.5-3% of live births worldwide. Clinical evidence has shown hearing and vision loss, mental retardation and sometimes death in affected newborns. Primary maternal CMV infection during gestation poses a 40% risk of intrauterine transmission in contrast to recurrent infection. European laboratories have made significant progress in the last decade in solving diagnostic problems linked to infection in pregnancy. With the advances in CMV serology, such as detection of anti-CMV IgM by enzyme immunoassays (EIA), confirmed by Western blot, together with seroconversion and anti-CMV IgG avidity evaluation in pregnant mothers, can help to identify recent infection. Preventative measures such as screening for CMV in the routine serological work-up of pregnant women have been introduced in countries such as Spain and Italy. The development of specific T cell-mediated immune responses in mothers, fetus and neonates is now emerging with regard to antigen-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells, differentiation status, proliferative and cytokine responses. A protective vaccine against CMV is a major public health priority and the study of vaccines in animal model systems has identified potential strategies for interrupting transmission and preventing disease in newborns. Congenital CMV infection has a variable outcome and therefore novel diagnostic methods are required to identify those at risk and therapeutic interventions are needed to improve the long-term prognosis of those infected. CMV was first isolated in 1957. We are now 50 years on, so procrastination is not an option.