title: Hearing in Children with Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection: Results of a Longitudinal Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate hearing outcome, to characterize the nature of symptomatic and asymptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection and associated hearing loss, and to compare results with data from previous studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective multicenter registry was set up in 2007. Six centers participated in the development of a standardized protocol for diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. Data were gathered in an online registry. Children (n = 379) with a documented cCMV infection and at least 2 separate audiologic evaluations were included. Audiometric results from a multicenter cohort study of children with cCMV infection with longitudinal observation were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results from 123 children with a symptomatic and 256 children with an asymptomatic cCMV infection were analyzed. In the group with symptomatic cCMV, 63% had hearing loss, compared with 8% in the group with asymptomatic cCMV. Delayed-onset hearing loss occurred in 10.6% of symptomatic cCMV and in 7.8% of asymptomatic cCMV. In the group with symptomatic cCMV, 29.3% of children used some kind of hearing amplification; 1.6% in the group with asymptomatic cCMV used hearing amplification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptomatic and asymptomatic cCMV infections are a major cause of hearing loss in childhood. Reliable estimates of the long-term outcome of cCMV infection are mandatory to increase vigilance, especially among pregnant women and to draw attention to preventive measures, vaccine development, and prenatal and postnatal therapy. Universal screening of newborns for cCMV infection should be initiated and combined with longitudinal audiometric follow-up.
authors: Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: julie.goderis@ugent.be.
authors: Julie
authors: J
authors: Goderis
authors: Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Annelies
authors: A
authors: Keymeulen
authors: Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Koenraad
authors: K
authors: Smets
authors: Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Van Hoecke
authors: Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Els
authors: E
authors: De Leenheer
authors: Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: An
authors: A
authors: Boudewyns
authors: Leuven University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Desloovere
authors: Sint Jan Hospital, Bruges, Belgium.
authors: Rudolf
authors: R
authors: Kuhweide
authors: Sint Jan Hospital, Bruges, Belgium.
authors: Marie
authors: M
authors: Muylle
authors: Leuven University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Liesbeth
authors: L
authors: Royackers
authors: Sint Augustinus Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Isabelle
authors: I
authors: Schatteman
authors: Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors: Ingeborg
authors: I
authors: Dhooge
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006320:Hearing Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries