Congenital cytomegalovirus: Screening strategies and diagnostic challenges

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the most common congenital infection worldwide and a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Most newborns with cCMV will be asymptomatic at birth; however, a subset will go on to develop disease, including SNHL and neurodevelopmental problems, later in life. Given this, advocacy for newborn cCMV screening is growing. Targeted versus universal screening remains a hotly debated topic. This review will assess current diagnostic and screening modalities and explore unanswered questions.