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Controversies in the therapeutic approach to congenital cytomegalovirus infection

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Abstract

Treatment of congenital cytomegalovirus infection is mandatory in cases with severe systemic and/or neurological involvement. However, some patients are paucisymptomatic, with very subtle systemic manifestations and/or minimal brain alterations. Current international guidelines do not clearly state whether these children should be treated, and this decision is not straightforward for clinicians. Of a small series of six infants with congenital cytomegalovirus infection admitted to our neonatal unit between 2015 and 2019, half showed paucisymptomatic neurological manifestations. In these cases, the determination of ß2-microglobulin in cerebrospinal fluid and magnetic resonance imaging aided in the decision-making concerning the therapeutic approach to follow.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neonatal Unit, Deparment of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Burgos, Avda Islas Baleares 3, 09006, Burgos, Spain

    María Garrido-Barbero & Juan Arnaez

  2. NeNe Foundation, Madrid, Spain

    Juan Arnaez & Alfredo Garcia-Alix

  3. Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, University of Barcelona, Passeig Sant Joan de Déu, 2, 08950, Barcelona, Spain

    Alfredo Garcia-Alix

Authors
  1. María Garrido-Barbero
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  2. Juan Arnaez
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  3. Alfredo Garcia-Alix
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection and analysis were performed by MG, JA and AG-A. The first draft of the manuscript was written by MG and J A and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Juan Arnaez.

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Garrido-Barbero, M., Arnaez, J. & Garcia-Alix, A. Controversies in the therapeutic approach to congenital cytomegalovirus infection. Infection 48, 463–469 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-020-01392-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s15010-020-01392-w

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