Congenital CMV Infection and Brain Pseudocysts

Cytomegalovirus is the commonest cause of congenital infection worldwide causing serious disease in newborns resulting in lifelong neurological impairment. It is the leading infectious cause of hearing loss in children. It causes brain injury due to direct cytopathic effects causing neuronal lysis and indirectly due to immune mediated damage and hypoxic brain damage secondary to placental insufficiency. It affects all cell types, but it shows neurotropism and has a predilection for neural stem cells and progenitor cells. It is estimated to affect 1000 babies every year in UK and has enormous economic impact. It is estimated to cost the United Kingdom 750 million pounds every year. CMV can also cause miscarriage, still birth, preterm birth and it is implicated in sensorineural hearing loss, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder etc.

Key words: Congenital CMV infection; Brain injury; Pseudocyst

Abbreviations:CMV: Cytomegalo-Virus; SEPC: Subependymal Pseudocyst; DNA: Deoxyribonucleic Acid; PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction; IgM: Immunoglobulin M Introduction