Sensorineural hearing loss in congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in the most frequent cause of congenital infections in humans. The neurodevelopmental outcome of infected neonates is well documented and includes a significant risk of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). We studied five SNHL subjects with congenital CMV infection. All 5 infected subjects were found to have bilateral progressive SNHL and the deterionation to profound occurred during the first two years of life. Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) were recorded in 2 subjects and the TEOAEs of all 4 ears were abnormal. These effects confirmed that hearing loss associated with congenital CMV infection was due to cochlear dysfunction at least, as literature on the histopathology had indicated. One of the five subjects was asymptomatic. The etiology of hearing loss in children often is not identified and we concluded that SNHL in some children was caused by congenital CMV infection. Because the majority of infants with congenital CMV infection are asymptomatic at birth, routine screening of all newborns for congenital CMV infection should be carried out and the management of infected children should include periodic assessments. As the therapy for congenital CMV infection is not effective, CMV vaccination for women of child bearing age should be considered. In the future, vaccination will significantly reduce the prevalence of hearing loss in children.