Authors say universal screening catches newborns who would be missed based on symptoms or by hearing screening alone
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Nov. 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — One-third of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV)-related hearing loss would be missed without universal screening programs, according to a study published in the November issue of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery.
Celine Richard, M.D., Ph.D., from University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, and colleagues examined audiological outcomes of CMV-positive newborns detected through universal screening. The analysis included patients screened for congenital CMV by saliva polymerase chain reaction from March 2016 to May 2024.
The researchers identified 247 CMV-positive newborns (134 male), of which 31.17 percent were symptomatic. Of the 77 symptomatic patients, 16 were diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL): 12 bilateral SNHL (BHL) and four with unilateral SNHL (UNHL). Late-onset UNHL was seen in three symptomatic patients. Of the asymptomatic newborns, four developed UNHL and one developed BHL within the first year of life. Fifty-eight patients received valganciclovir. Among the patients who eventually developed SNHL, five of 10 who were treated experienced worsening or lack of improvement; 10 of 14 untreated cases showed hearing deterioration or did not improve, and two of the 14 remained stable. Compared with those with normal hearing, patients with SNHL had higher rates of microcephaly and intracranial calcifications but showed no differences in urine CMV viral load at birth. Nine patients received cochlear implants (seven bilateral, one unilateral) and four received hearing aids (three bilateral, one unilateral).
“Universal screening is essential to identify babies at risk for hearing loss who would be missed based on symptoms or by newborn hearing screening alone,” Maria A. Carrillo-Marquez, M.D., also from University of Tennessee Health Science Center, said in a statement.
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