[Early diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection: lost opportunities].
BACKGROUND
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common congenital infection in Europe. Symptoms are present at birth in 10% of infected children, and up to 30-40% have some degree of hearing loss after the newborn period.


METHODS
A retrospective study was performed over a period of 4 years and included all patients with congenital CMV infection diagnosed after the neonatal period using the dried blood spots from neonatal metabolic screening.


RESULTS
We present 5 patients diagnosed with congenital CMV infection outside the neonatal period. The main reasons for consultation were hearing loss and/or neurological impairment in the first few months of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Congenital CMV infection may be mildly symptomatic at birth, and present as hearing loss and/or neurological impairment in infancy. Therefore, a high degree of suspicion is necessary in order to make an accurate diagnosis and start specific treatment to improve the outcome.
Departamento de Pediatría, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
Raquel
R
Nuñez-Ramos
Jesús
J
Becerril
Daniel
D
Blázquez
Pablo
P
Rojo
Joaquín
J
de Vergas
Dolores
D
Folgueira
D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012189:Retrospective Studies