The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborn infants at an intensive care unit in a public hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborn infants admitted to an intensive care unit in a public hospital in Porto Alegre.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of 261 newborn infants born at a public hospital in the city of Porto Alegre in 2003 and admitted to the intensive care ward. Urine samples were collected within 7 days of birth and a polymerase chain reaction-PCR performed to test for cytomegalovirus DNA.


RESULTS
The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection among the study population was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.097-2.86). It was not possible to assess risk factors because this prevalence was so low.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in an intensive care unit at a public hospital in Porto Alegre was not considered elevated and was comparable with prevalence rates found by other studies.
Serviço de Neonatologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Algre, RS, Brazil.
Clarissa Schreiner
CS
Miura
Ernani
E
Miura
Alice Beatriz
AB
Mombach
Marisa
M
Chesky
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D004279:DNA, Viral