Assessing the frequency of cytomegalovirus in the small for gestational age neonates in Al-Zahra hospital during 2015-2016.

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common intrauterine infection, and while many women of reproductive age are CMV-positive, neonates born to these mothers can be asymptomatic, but they can be in later years with permanent and progressive effects, hearing loss is the main side effect. So, early detection and treatment can prevent its progress.  On the other hand, this congenital infection can only be shown as a reduced intrauterine growth.  In this study, we examined the frequency of CMV in the small for gestational age (SGA) neonates in Al-Zahra hospital during 2015-2016.

This analytical cross-sectional study was performed on SGA infants admitted to Alzahra Hospital in Rasht, Iran during a one-year period)2015-2016). Data from the neonates and their mother were gathered by a checklist.  They were extracted and their urine was sent to the laboratory for CMV PCR examination.

Of 205 SGA infants, 138 cases of urine specimens were reported for CMV PCR, two cases reported positive (1.4%) for a 38-week-old female with a weight of 2350, followed by a 34-week-old boy with a weight of 1320 and CBC tests (HBV-WBC). They were normal, one in rural and the other in the city. The two CMV-positive children were generally well-off. The average age of their mothers was 32 years old. The hearing loss of these two infants was reported at normal birth but was not followed up for follow-up.

Regarding the importance of CMV infection in hearing loss and the importance of timely intervention in the treatment of hearing loss, it is unlikely that the routine CMV study in SGA infants is important in order to detect hearing impairment, movement and these neonates will be diagnosed early and be intervene in a timely manner.