Management of neonatal central nervous system viral infections: Knowledge gaps and research priorities

Area of Science:

• Neonatal infectious diseases
• Neurovirology
• Public health

Background:

• Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV), enteroviruses, human parechovirus, and herpes simplex virus (HSV) are frequent causes of severe neonatal central nervous system (CNS) infections.
• Increased screening, molecular testing, and sexually transmitted infections have led to a rise in these neonatal infections over the past decade.
• Therapeutic options for these infections remain limited, partly due to insufficient epidemiological data to guide clinical trials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current understanding of the clinical burden and epidemiology of severe neonatal CNS infections.
• To outline novel antiviral and vaccine candidates in development.
• To propose future research directions for developing new therapeutics.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of clinical burden and epidemiology of neonatal CNS infections.
• Survey of emerging antiviral and vaccine research pipelines.
• Analysis of research gaps and future therapeutic development needs.

Main Results:

• Detailed epidemiological data and clinical impact of congenital CMV, enteroviruses, human parechovirus, and HSV in neonates are presented.
• Several novel antiviral agents and vaccine candidates targeting these pathogens are under investigation.
• Significant gaps in epidemiological data hinder the development of effective treatments.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for enhanced epidemiological surveillance and data collection for severe neonatal CNS infections.
• Continued research and development of novel antiviral therapies and vaccines are essential.
• Future studies should focus on generating robust data to support the development of effective treatments for these life-threatening neonatal infections.