Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common sequelae of asymptomatic cCMV infection, with an overall rate of 10-15%, which may be present at birth, progress or develop later in life.
The aim of the study was to assess the yield of a combination of targeted screening (testing infants who failed automated auditory brainstem response (aABR)) in term infants and universal screen in preterm infants.
Between 2014 and 2017 two cohorts of infants born either between 37-42 weeks gestation or before 32 weeks gestation were retrospectively included in the study. Real Time PCR (RTPCR) for CMV in urine was routinely performed in the first week of life in infants who failed an automated auditory brainstem response (aABR) test in the first group and in all those from the 2nd group.
In the first group, 2907 infants failed the screen test and in 20 (0.7%) a positive CMV RTPCR was detected. In the second group, 510 infants out of 549 had their urine tested, none was positive, but out of them 10 were identified as CMV positive in a second test, following failure of aABR.
Targeted CMV screening is helpful in sorting out infants at risk of hearing impairment soon after birth. On the other hand, hearing impairment due to congenital CMV infection was ruled out in all infants at risk due to abnormal aABR screen and prevented dilemmas over unnecessary treatment in at least 10 infants. We think that the above screening strategy maybe cost effective in the current setting.
