Early neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with asymptomatic congenital CMV infection.

Abstract

Abstract Background Approximately 85–90% of congenital cytomegalovirus infections are asymptomatic. Few studies have investigated early and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with asymptomatic cCMV, and the data is contradictory. We did investigate the effect of cCMV asymptomatic infection on neurological outcomes and in the cognitive, language and motor development of children at 6 months of age. Methods Fifty-six children with cCMV asymptomatic infection were followed for 6 months, surveying their neurological and developmental outcomes. Neurological examination and Bayley-III Scales were performed. Results Clinical evaluation revealed that neurological outcomes at 6 months were essentially normal, with minor neurological deficits (i.e., tone abnormalities) in a subgroup of patients. Bayley-III scores were substantially in the normal range, with some 14% showing a score less than 85 (−1SD) in the motor scale. Children's neurological and neurodevelopmental outcomes do not differ according to the trimester of infection. Conclusions Infants with cCMV asymptomatic infection may present minor neurological abnormalities in early stages of life. It seems necessary to survey and monitor early and late neurodevelopmental outcomes in the first years of life.