Long-term outcome of vestibular function and hearing in children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Congenital cytomegalovirus infection (cCMV) is the most frequent nonhereditary cause for sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in children. Data on vestibular function in children with cCMV are, however, scarce, although some evidence for cCMV-associated vestibular dysfunction exists. In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated long-term vestibular function and hearing outcomes in a cohort of children with cCMV. METHODS: Participants were 6-7-year-old children with cCMV from a large population-based screening study. Controls were age and gender matched healthy children, who were CMV-negative at birth. Hearing was examined with pure tone audiometry. Definition of hearing loss was pure-tone average > 20 dB. Vestibular function was assessed using the video head impulse test that provides a measure of semicircular canal function. Definition of vestibular dysfunction was lateral semicircular canal gain < 0.75. RESULTS: Vestibular dysfunction occurred in 7/36 (19.4%) of children with cCMV and in 1/31 (3.2%) of controls (p = 0.060). SNHL was recorded in 4/38 (10.5%) of children with cCMV and in 0/33 of controls (p = 0.118). Hearing loss was unilateral in all cases. In cCMV group, the two children with bilateral vestibular dysfunction also had SNHL, whereas those with unilateral vestibular dysfunction (n = 5) had normal hearing. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of children with cCMV identified using newborn screening, vestibular dysfunction was more common than SNHL at 6 years of age. Vestibular dysfunction occurred both in children with and without SNHL. Based on these data, inclusion of vestibular tests in follow-up protocol of cCMV should be considered.

Viral shedding, and distribution of cytomegalovirus glycoprotein H (UL75), glycoprotein B (UL55), and glycoprotein N (UL73) genotypes in congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

BACKGROUND: Children with congenital CMV infection (cCMV) shed virus in urine and saliva for prolonged periods of time. Outcome of cCMV varies from asymptomatic infection with no sequelae in most cases, to severe longterm morbidity. The factors associated with asymptomatic cCMV are not well defined. We evaluated the viral shedding in a cohort of infants with cCMV identified on newborn screening. In addition, we describe the distribution of viral genotypes in our cohort of asymptomatic infants and previous cohorts of cCMV children in the literature. METHODS: Study population consisted of 40 children with cCMV identified in screening of 19,868 infants, a prevalence of 2/1000. The viral shedding was evaluated at 3 and 18 months of age by real-time CMV-PCR of saliva and plasma, and CMV culture of urine. CMV positive saliva samples were analyzed for genotypes for CMV envelope glycoproteins gB (UL55), and gH (UL75) by genotype specific real-time PCR, and gN (UL73) by cloning and sequencing RESULTS: At 3 months age 40/40 saliva and urine samples, and 19/40 plasma samples were positive for CMV. At 18 months age all urine samples tested (33/33), 9/37 of saliva samples, and 2/34 plasma samples were positive for CMV. The genotype distribution did not differ from the published data CONCLUSIONS: The urinary virus shedding is more persistent than salivary shedding in children with cCMV. The genotype distribution was similar to previous literature and does not explain the low disease burden of cCMV in our population.

Immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases in Finnish pediatric healthcare workers in 2015.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) pose a risk to themselves and their patients if not protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. Alarmingly, lacking immunity has been reported in several studies. We assessed the immunity against vaccine-preventable diseases in 157 pediatric HCWs in Helsinki Children's Hospital. The HCWs enrolled answered a questionnaire and gave a serum sample. Antibodies were measured with EIA against MMR-diseases, tetanus and diphtheria toxins, Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis A (HAV), varicella zoster and pertussis toxin. Neutralizing antibodies against poliovirus 1, 2 and 3 were measured. All of the HCWs had antibodies against tetanus and 89.8% against diphtheria. All had measurable levels of polio antibodies to all three polioviruses. 41% had suboptimal levels of antibodies against at least one of the antigens tested: MMR-viruses, diphtheria, HBV or polio. Measles, mumps and rubella antibodies were detectable in 81.5%, 89.2% and 93%, respectively. Only one HCW had no varicella-antibodies. Hepatitis B surface antibodies (HBsAb) were detected in 89.8% of the nurses. 67.5% had HAV-antibodies. A poor correlation between detected antibody levels and reported vaccination history was noticed, indicating a need for a universal record system for registering the vaccines given to each individual.