[Visual and auditory impairment in children with congenital cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii infection].

Intrauterine infections are an important cause of hearing and visual impairment in children. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the character and frequency of hearing and visual disturbances in children with congenital toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus infection. 38 out of 54 children with congenital toxoplasmosis as well as 34 out of 403 children with congenital human cytomegalovirus disease, with visual/auditory impairment, hospitalized in Infant Department in Children's Memorial Health Institute between 1995-2001 were enrolled in this study. Visual impairment was observed in all children with toxoplasmosis (with visual dysfunction rate of 74%), but there was no deafness found. Vision impairment had been observed in 18% of children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection compared to 35% of children with auditory impairment (bilateral deafness had been found in half of them). Neurological deficits' rate was much higher in children with toxoplasmosis (52% vs. 4%). Because of common hearing impairment in children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection and vision impairment in children with congenital toxoplasmosis, it is essential to start the prophylaxis to decrease the percentage of handicapped children.