Risk Factors for Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection Following Primary and Nonprimary Maternal Infection

Abstract

Background. The design of diagnostic and preventive strategies have been prevented by gaps in knowledge of the epidemiology of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) with the type of maternal infection as well as the lack of large-scale neonatal screening tools. Methods. In sum, 11715 consecutive newborns were screened for cCMV by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in saliva. Prevalence, type of maternal infection, sociodemographic, obstetrical, and serological data were analyzed. Results. Positive predictive value of CMV PCR in saliva was 59%; false positive results were associated with lower viral loads (P