Outcome of confirmed symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Sixty five neonates with confirmed symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection were followed up prospectively until they were 3 to 4 year of age. Twenty nine children (45%) had neurological impairment of whom 22 had gross motor or psychomotor abnormalities; in the remaining seven sensorineural deafness was the main abnormality. Infants who had had neurological signs during the neonatal period had a worse prognosis than those who had not, with 16/22 (73%) and 13/43 (30%) having neurological deficit at follow up, respectively. Our results indicate that the prognosis for infants with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus infection is better than previously reported.