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Updated: Aug 16, 2026
Use of In vivo Imaging to Monitor the Progression of Experimental Mouse Cytomegalovirus Infection in Neonates
Published on: July 6, 2013
[Hearing screening in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection]
Wei Mo1, Yi-ying Zhang, Yun-qiu Lei
1The Affiliated Children's Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310003, China. mowei@yahoo.com.cn
Insights
Congenital cytomegalovirus infection can cause prompt and late-onset hearing loss in infants. Early detection through dynamic hearing screening is crucial for managing hearing impairment in affected newborns.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Audiology
- Neonatal screening
Context:
- Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a leading cause of non-genetic sensorineural hearing loss in newborns.
- Early identification and intervention are critical to mitigate developmental consequences.
- Standard newborn hearing screening may not detect all CMV-related hearing deficits.
Purpose:
- To investigate the long-term impact of congenital cytomegalovirus infection on infant hearing.
- To assess the efficacy of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and auditory brain-stem response (ABR) in screening congenital CMV-related hearing loss.
- To determine the incidence and patterns of hearing loss in infants with congenital CMV infection.
Summary:
- A cohort study screened 38 infants with congenital CMV and 16 controls using DPOAE and ABR at birth, 6, and 24 months.
- Infants with congenital CMV showed significantly higher ABR V thresholds and a higher incidence of hearing loss (up to 23.7% by 3-4 months) compared to controls.
- Congenital CMV infection was associated with both immediate and delayed-onset hearing loss, including severe and profound degrees.
Impact:
- Congenital CMV infection poses a significant risk for both prompt and late-onset hearing loss in infants.
- Dynamic hearing screening, combined with laboratory diagnostics, can facilitate early detection of hearing impairment in infants with congenital CMV.
- This research underscores the importance of ongoing audiological monitoring for infants diagnosed with congenital CMV infection.
Objective:
To investigate the impact of congenital cytomegalovirus infection on the hearing ability in infants.
Methods:
By using the tools of distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and auditory brain-stem response (ABR), the hearing ability of 38 infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection and 16 cases of normal controls during neonatal periods was screened with a follow-up study at 6 and 24 months.
Result:
In infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection, 86.8% (66/76) ears at neonatal stage and 76.3% (58/76) ears at 6 months passed the tests; while in normal controls, 96.9% (31/32) ears passed the tests. The reaction threshold of ABR V in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection was higher than that in normal controls (P<0.005). Furthermore,in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection, 13 ears (17.1%) were extreme hearing loss, 5 ears (6.6%) were severe hearing loss, and 6 ears (7.9%) were moderately severe hearing loss. The incidence of hearing loss during the follow-up was 7.9% (3/38) at neonatal stage, 23.7% (9/38) at 3-4 months, and 7.9% (3/38) after 6 months.
Conclusion:
The congenital cytomegalovirus infection could cause the prompt and late-onset hearing loss. The combination of the laboratory evidence with the dynamic hearing screening may contribute to the early detection of hearing loss in infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.
