Congenital cytomegalovirus infection, hearing loss and newborn screening. An update.

Abstract

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common congenital infection and the main non-genetic cause of congenital hearing loss. A significant number of newborns (NB) with symptomatic cCMV will develop permanent serious sequelae, being hearing loss the most frequent. However, 90% of the cases are asymptomatic and may develop late auditory sequelae. Early diagnosis of cCMV requires a high index of suspicion. Currently, efficient detection techniques for its detection are available, which facilitates diagnosis within the first 3 weeks of life. Antiviral therapy is the first line of treatment for symptomatic cCMV, achieving good hearing results. Despite advances in detection methods and the benefits of antiviral therapy, NB are not routinely screened for cCMV. Selective screening for cCMV in patients who fail newborn hearing screening facilitates early intervention in identified cases but fails to detect a significant number of children with late onset hearing loss. Universal screening allows hearing follow up in patients at risk of developing sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to cCMV, thus identifying late-onset hearing loss cases, but cost-effectiveness is still controversial. It is necessary to advance in a local strategy for cCMV screening, aiming to reduce its national impact.