Long-term outcomes of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) is an important cause of neurological problems, particularly sensorineural hearing loss, but data on long-term sequelae and the impact of nonprimary maternal infection are limited. We report updated findings on childhood outcomes from 2 large prospective studies.

Methods: Pregnant women in Malmö, Sweden, and London, United Kingdom, were included between 1977 and 1986, and newborns were screened for CMV (virus culture of urine or saliva).