Abstract

MIURA, Clarissa Schreiner; MIURA, Ernani; MOMBACH, Alice Beatriz  and  CHESKYA, Marisa. The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborn infants at an intensive care unit in a public hospital. J. Pediatr. (Rio J.) [online]. 2006, vol.82, n.1, pp. 46-50. ISSN 0021-7557.  http://dx.doi.org/10.2223/JPED.1436.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborn infants admitted to an intensive care unit in a public hospital in Porto Alegre. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 261 newborn infants born at a public hospital in the city of Porto Alegre in 2003 and admitted to the intensive care ward. Urine samples were collected within 7 days of birth and a polymerase chain reaction-PCR performed to test for cytomegalovirus DNA. RESULTS: The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection among the study population was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.097%-2.86%). It was not possible to assess risk factors because this prevalence was so low. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in an intensive care unit at a public hospital in Porto Alegre was not considered elevated and was comparable with prevalence rates found by other studies.

Keywords : Cytomegalovirus; congenital cytomegalovirus; polymerase chain reaction; newborn; neonate.