title: Cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr virus may be associated with some cases of cerebral palsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intrauterine infection is a risk factor for cerebral palsy. Previous work reported a high frequency of viral DNA in newborn screening cards from cerebral palsy cases and controls possibly due to contamination.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case-control study using improved methodologies to minimize contamination during PCR-based detection of viral DNA sequences. Newborn screening cards of 339 Caucasian children with cerebral palsy and 594 controls were examined. Viruses tested were herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2 (HSV1 and 2), varicella zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), human herpes viruses 6, 7 and 8 (HHV6, HHV7 and HHV8), and parvovirus B19. Genotyping was performed on DNA extracted from dried blood spots.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CMV and EBV were detected in 5 (1.5%) and 3 (0.9%) of 339 cases, respectively, but not in controls (p = 0.047 and 0.006). Frequencies of detection of the other viruses examined were similar for cases and controls. DNA from at least one of the nine viruses tested was found in 4.4% of cases and 3.1% of controls [OR 1.4 95% CI (0.71-2.76)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence of congenital viral infection was uncommon in cases of cerebral palsy and controls. However, CMV and EBV were significantly associated with cerebral palsy.
authors.affiliation: Robinson Institute, The University of Adelaide, Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide, SA, Australia. gai.mcmichael@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: Gai
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: McMichael
authors.forename: Alastair
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacLennan
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alvino
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Goldwater
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Haan
authors.forename: Gustaaf
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dekker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D059788:Dried Blood Spot Testing; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015997:Neonatal Screening; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral