Congenital cytomegalovirus, parvovirus and enterovirus infection in Mozambican newborns at birth: A cross-sectional survey

Management of neonatal central nervous system viral infections: Knowledge gaps and research priorities

Congenital CMV, enteroviruses, human parechovirus and herpes simplex virus are all common causes of severe central nervous system (CNS) infection in neonates. The introduction of screening (i.e. newborn hearing screening programme), integration of molecular syndromic testing (i.e. multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays) and increase in sexually transmitted infections (i.e. anogenital herpes) have contributed to increases in each of these infections over the last decade. However, therapeutic options are highly limited in part due to the lack of epidemiological data informing trials. This review will describe our current understanding of the clinical burden and epidemiology of these severe neonatal CNS infections, outline the novel antiviral and vaccines in the pipeline and suggest future research studies which could help develop new therapeutics.

Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infections Mother-Newborn Pair Study in Southern Ethiopia

Introduction. Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a common cause of neurodevelopmental delays and sensorineural hearing loss of infants, yet the prevalence of cCMV and the associated factors in Ethiopia are not studied. Hence, this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of cCMV in Southern Ethiopia. Methodology. A mother-newborn pair cross-sectional study was conducted at Hawassa University Comprehensive and Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia. Newborn’s saliva sample was tested for cCMV using Alethia CMV molecular assay. Mothers’ serum was tested serologically for anti-CMV IgM and IgG by EUROIMMUN ELISA. Pregnant women responded to a questionnaire about their previous and current obstetric history and sociodemographic characteristics. The chi-square (χ2) test and independent-sample t-test were used to determine the associations between infections and possible risk factors; then, potential variables were screened for multivariable analysis. Results. A total of 593 mother-newborn pairs were assessed. CMV was detected in 14 of 593 newborn saliva swabs (2.4%; 95% CI 1.2–3.7). As assessed by CMV IgM-positive results, maternal CMV seropositivity was 8.3% (49/593); thus, the rate of mother-to-child transmission of CMV was 28% (14/49) among CMV IgM-positive women. Congenital CMV infection was significantly associated with maternal exposure through nursery school children in the household, women sharing a feeding cup with children, and any of the detected curable STIs during pregnancy. Birth weight was negatively associated with CMV infection. Maternal age, gravidity, level of education, and sharing of children feeding utensils were not associated with cCMV infection. Conclusion. A high rate of cCMV infection in the absence of awareness demands further in-depth investigation in Ethiopia. Thus, policymakers must take appropriate action through the antenatal care system for prevention strategies and put in place a constant health education and awareness creation of pregnant women about the causes of infection and hygienic measures.

Cytomegalovirus acquisition in infancy and the risk of tuberculosis disease in childhood: a longitudinal birth cohort study in Cape Town, South Africa

BACKGROUND

The risk of tuberculosis disease after recent exposure is greatest before age 5 years; however, the mechanisms explaining this increased risk are not well elucidated. Acquisition of viral infections, such as cytomegalovirus, in early life might modulate the immune system. We aimed to evaluate the acquisition of cytomegalovirus infection in infancy and the development of tuberculosis disease in children.

METHODS

In this prospective, birth cohort study we enrolled pregnant women who were between 20 and 28 weeks of gestation attending antenatal care in Paarl, a periurban setting outside of Cape Town, South Africa. Participants were recruited from two clinics (TC Newman and Mbekweni). Infants were given Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination at birth as per national policy. Nasopharyngeal swabs for cytomegalovirus detection using qPCR were done for infants at birth, age 3 and 6 weeks, and age 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Children were prospectively followed up for tuberculosis disease until age 9 years using tuberculin skin testing, radiographic examinations, GeneXpert, and sputum testing. Tuberculin skin tests were done at the 6-month visit and then at age 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months, and at the time of lower respiratory tract infection. We compared tuberculosis disease incidence after age 1 year or after age 6 months in children with and without cytomegalovirus infection using Cox regression and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs.

FINDINGS

Between March 5, 2012, and March 31, 2015, 1225 pregnant women were recruited and enrolled in the birth cohort. 88 (7%) women were excluded because of loss to antenatal follow-up or pregnancy losses. Of 1143 livebirths, 68 (6%) mother-infant pairs were excluded. In total, 963 children were serially tested for cytomegalovirus (7186 cytomegalovirus measurements taken; median six tests per child, IQR 2-11). The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus at age younger than 3 weeks was 2% (18 of 816). Cytomegalovirus positivity increased continuously with age from 3% (27 of 825) by age 6 weeks to 21% (183 of 882) by 3 months, 35% (315 of 909) by 6 months, and 42% (390 of 933) by 12 months. Mother-infant pairs were followed up for a median of 6·9 years (IQR 6·0-7·8). The risk of tuberculosis disease in children after age 1 year was higher in those with cytomegalovirus infection by age 6 weeks (adjusted HR 4·1, 95% CI 1·2-13·8; p=0·022), 3 months (2·8, 1·4-5·8; p=0·0040), 6 months (3·6, 1·7-7·3; p<0·0001), 12 months (3·2, 1·6-6·4; p=0·0010), and 24 months (4·2, 2·0-8·8; p<0·0001). The risk of microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis disease was also higher among children acquiring cytomegalovirus infection before age 3 months (adjusted HR 3·2, 95% CI 1·0-10·6; p=0·048), 6 months (3·9, 1·2-13·0; p=0·027), 12 months (4·4, 1·2-16·3; p=0·027), and 24 months (6·1, 1·3-27·9; p=0·020). In children older than 1 year, the risk of tuberculosis disease was consistently greater in those with high cytomegalovirus loads than in those with low cytomegalovirus loads that were acquired before age 3 months (adjusted HR 2·0 vs 3·7; ptrend=0·0020; both groups compared with cytomegalovirus negative reference) and before age 12 months (2·7 vs 3·7; ptrend=0·0009).

INTERPRETATION

Infants that acquire cytomegalovirus in the first year of life are at high risk of subsequently developing tuberculosis disease. Efforts to prevent tuberculosis in early childhood in high-burden countries might need to deter or delay acquisition of cytomegalovirus perinatally or in the first months of life.

FUNDING

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MRC South Africa, National Research Foundation South Africa, and Wellcome Trust.

Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection Burden and Epidemiologic Risk Factors in Countries With Universal Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the most common congenital infection and the leading acquired cause of developmental disabilities and sensorineural deafness, yet a reliable assessment of the infection burden is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the birth prevalence of cCMV in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs), characterize the rate by screening methods, and delineate associated risk factors of the infection.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews databases were searched from January 1, 1960, to March 1, 2021, and a total of 1322 studies were identified.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies that provided data on the prevalence of cCMV derived from universal screening of infants younger than 3 weeks were included. Targeted screening studies were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline was followed. Extraction was performed independently by 3 reviewers. Quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort studies. Random-effects meta-analysis was undertaken. Metaregression was conducted to evaluate the association of sociodemographic characteristics, maternal seroprevalence, population-level HIV prevalence, and screening methods with the prevalence of cCMV.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

Birth prevalence of cCMV ascertained through universal screening of infants younger than 3 weeks for CMV from urine, saliva, or blood samples.

RESULTS

Seventy-seven studies comprising 515 646 infants met the inclusion criteria from countries representative of each World Bank income level. The estimated pooled overall prevalence of cCMV was 0.67% (95% CI, 0.54%-0.83%). The pooled birth prevalence of cCMV was 3-fold greater in LMICs (1.42%; 95% CI, 0.97%-2.08%; n = 23 studies) than in HICs (0.48%; 95% CI, 0.40%-0.59%, n = 54 studies). Screening methods with blood samples demonstrated lower rates of cCMV than urine or saliva samples (odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% CI, 0.23-0.66). Higher maternal CMV seroprevalence (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.11-1.28), higher population-level HIV prevalence (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.05-1.40), lower socioeconomic status (OR, 3.03; 95% CI, 2.05-4.47), and younger mean maternal age (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78-0.92, older age was associated with lower rates) were associated with higher rates of cCMV.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

In this meta-analysis, LMICs appeared to incur the most significant infection burden. Lower rates of cCMV were reported by studies using only blood or serum as a screening method.

Impact of Maternal Immunity on Congenital Cytomegalovirus Birth Prevalence and Infant Outcomes: A Systematic Review

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the leading non-genetic cause of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), and efforts are geared towards prevention through vaccine development. Transmission rates following primary maternal infection occur at rates of 30-40%, however reported placental rates upon non-primary maternal infection is reported to be less than <4%. There is significant debate about whether this reduction in transmission rate is due to pre-existing maternal immunity, which could identify possible immunologic targets for vaccines. To address this question, we performed a systemic review of the literature using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. We identified cohort studies in high CMV seroprevalent (>80%) areas or in developing regions that examined a cohort of at least 50 infants for congenital CMV acquisition. We identified 19 articles that met criteria and were further categorized based on pre-conception serology, maternal seroprevalence, or previously known seroprevalence. Birth prevalence rates ranged from 0.4% to 6% (median 1.1%), with the studies reporting on clinical outcome (16/19 studies) noting the majority of infected infants as asymptomatic. We also utilized a recent study that differentiated primary maternal infections from chronic infections in a highly seropositive population to calculate a placental transmission rate in women with pre-existing immunity compared to that of no pre-existing immunity. This work confirms a low cCMV birth prevalence in highly seropositive populations, indicates via a calculated placental transmission rate that the CMV placental transmission rate is lower in non-primary infection than that of primary infection, and reveals gaps in data for further research aiming to identify targets for vaccine development.

Advances in pediatrics in 2017: current practices and challenges in allergy, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics, immunology, infectious diseases, neonatology, nephrology, neurology, pulmonology from the perspective of Italian Journal of Pediatrics

This review provides an overview of a remarkable number of significant studies in pediatrics that have been published over the past year in the Italian Journal of Pediatrics. We have selected information from papers presented in the Journal that deal with allergy, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics, immunology, infectious diseases, neonatology, nephrology, neurology, pulmonology. The relevant epidemiologic findings, and developments in prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the last year have been discussed and placed in context. We think that advances achieved in 2017 will help readers to make the future of patients better.