Worldwide, approximately 1 in 100 to 500 babies are born with congenital CMV. Approximately 1 in 3000 will show symptoms and 1 in 7000 will die. Congenital HCMV infection occurs when the mother suffers a primary infection (or reactivation) during pregnancy. Due to the lower seroprevalence of HCMV in industrialized countries and higher socioeconomic groups, congenital infections are actually less common in poorer communities, where more women of child-bearing age are already seropositive. In industrialized countries up to 8% of HCMV seronegative mothers contract primary HCMV infection during pregnancy, of which roughly 50% will transmit to the fetus. Between 10-15% of infected fetuses are then born with symptoms, which may include pneumonia, gastrointestinal, retinal and neurological disease. 10-15% of asymptomatic babies will develop long term neurological effects. SNHL is found in 35% of children with CMV, cognitive deficits have been found in 66% of children with CMV, and death occurs in 4% of children. HCMV infection occurs in roughly 1% of all neonates with those who are not congenitally infected contracting the infection possibly through breast milk. Other sources of neonatal infection are bodily fluids which are known to contain high titres in shedding individuals: saliva (7copies/ml) and urine (5copies/ml ) seem common routes of transmission. The incidence of primary CMV infection in pregnant women in the United States varies from 1% to 3%. Healthy pregnant women are not at special risk for disease from CMV infection. When infected with CMV, most women have no symptoms and very few have a disease resembling infectious mononucleosis. It is their developing fetuses that may be at risk for congenital CMV disease. CMV remains the most important cause of congenital viral infection in the United States. HCMV is the most common cause of congenital infection in humans and intrauterine primary infections are more common than other well-known infections and syndromes, including Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Spina Bifida, and Pediatric HIV/AIDS.
Congenital cytomegalovirus infection
Congenital rubella syndrome
Congenital malaria
Congenital syphilis
Neonatal-onset multisystem inflammatory disease
Neonatal infection
Neonatal hepatitis
Neonatal sepsis