Cytomegalovirus Blood Viral Load and Hearing Loss in Young Children with Congenital Infection

Overview

Journal Pediatr Infect Dis J

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2009 May 30

PMID 19478688

Citations 31

Authors

Shannon A Ross

Zdenek Novak

Karen B Fowler

Nitin Arora

William J Britt

Suresh B Boppana

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: This study was designed to determine whether elevated viral load in infants and young children is associated with congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV)-related hearing loss.

Methods: Blood samples were obtained from 135 children with congenital CMV infection. CMV DNA in the peripheral blood was quantitated with a real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. Viral load measurements were analyzed in 3 different age groups (<2 months, 2-12 months, 12-36 months).

Results: In children with symptomatic and asymptomatic infection, CMV DNA levels were not different between children with hearing deficit and those with normal hearing in all 3 age groups. In children with asymptomatic infection, the positive predictive value of a peripheral blood viral load >3500 genomic equivalents per milliliter (ge/mL) at <2 months and 2 to 12 months of age is 8%, and at 12 to 36 months of age is 11.8%. However, the negative predictive value of a viral load <3500 ge/mL is 94.4% at <2 months of age, and 100% at 2 to 36 months of age.

Conclusions: Peripheral blood viral load is not associated with hearing loss in children with congenital CMV infection. However, a viral load of <3500 ge/mL is associated with a lower risk of hearing loss in children born with asymptomatic congenital infection.

Citing Articles

Agreement Between Dried Blood Spot and Plasma PCR in Infants With Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection.

Shimamura M, Kim J, Medoro A, Flint K, Kaptsan I, Wang H J Med Virol. 2025; 97(3):e70257.

PMID: 40035472 PMC: 11877996. DOI: 10.1002/jmv.70257.

Can viral load predict a symptomatic congenital CMV infection? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Salome S, Gammella R, Coppola C, Dolce P, Capasso L, Blazquez-Gamero D Eur J Pediatr. 2025; 184(2):188.

PMID: 39934361 PMC: 11814056. DOI: 10.1007/s00431-025-06015-w.

CMV-induced Hearing Loss.

Singh S, Maheshwari A, Boppana S Newborn (Clarksville). 2024; 2(4):249-262.

PMID: 38348106 PMC: 10860330. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-11002-0081.

Distribution of CMV envelope glycoprotein B, H and N genotypes in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus symptomatic infection.

Dong N, Cao L, Zheng D, Su L, Lu L, Dong Z Front Pediatr. 2023; 11:1112645.

PMID: 37009289 PMC: 10057549. DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1112645.

Correlation of cytomegalovirus viral load between whole blood and plasma of congenital cytomegalovirus infection under valganciclovir treatment.

Torii Y, Morioka I, Kakei Y, Fujioka K, Kakimoto Y, Takahashi N BMC Infect Dis. 2023; 23(1):31.

PMID: 36658533 PMC: 9850601. DOI: 10.1186/s12879-023-07995-6.

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