Congenital cytomegalovirus in eastern Uganda : prevalence and outcomes.

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dc.contributor.authorOkalany, Regina Akwi Noela
dc.contributor.authorEngebretsen, Marie S. Ingunn
dc.contributor.authorMukunya, David
dc.contributor.authorChebet, Martin
dc.contributor.authorOkello, Francis
dc.contributor.authorWeeks, D. Andrew
dc.contributor.authorMwanda, Edrin
dc.contributor.authorMuhindo, Rita
dc.contributor.authorBisso, Fred
dc.contributor.authorTylleskär, Thorkild
dc.contributor.authorOlupot-Olupot, Peter
dc.contributor.authorBurgoine, Kathy
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-01T10:08:26Z
dc.date.available2026-07-01T10:08:26Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.descriptionArticle
dc.description.abstractBackground: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection poses risks to both maternal and neonatal health, however there are limited comprehensive data on congenital CMV in low-resource settings where the virus is widespread, particularly among women of reproductive age. Our research in eastern Uganda aimed to assess the prevalence of congenital CMV and outcomes among infants to inform public health policies and interventions in similar settings, addressing a significant gap in current knowledge. Methods: We conducted a descriptive study, nested within the BabyGel Trial, across Mbale and Budaka districts in eastern Uganda, between May 2023 and January 2024. Infants underwent saliva sampling within the first week of life, which was validated through urine polymerase chain reaction testing within the first 21 days of life. At three months of age, a cranial ultrasound examination, neurological examination, developmental evaluation, and audiological assessment were conducted for all infants diagnosed with congenital CMV infection. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 17.0. Results: Congenital CMV infection was found in 5 out of 1,265 newborns tested, indicating a prevalence of 0.4% (95% CI: 0.16 to 0.96). Of these 5 infected infants, two experienced febrile illness at birth and required hospitalisation within the first week of life, and three had findings on ultrasound examination consistent with congenital cytomegalovirus during the neonatal period. Audiologic follow-up until three months of age revealed that three infants had failed unilateral and bilateral hearing screening. Neurodevelopment assessments using the Malawi Development Assessment Tool fell within optimal ranges for all 5 infants; however, when evaluated using the Hammersmith Infant Neurological Examination, four infants scored below optimal levels. Conclusion: Our community-based study revealed a low prevalence of congenital CMV infection. Further longitudinal multi-site research is needed to assess the generalisability of these findings. Also, long-term follow-up of children is crucial to understanding the outcomes and sequelae of infected infants to inform prevention strategies, targeted interventions and scalable screening frameworks in resource-limited settings. Keywords: Cytomegalovirus, Congenital, Prevalence, Neurodevelopment, Hearing, Low-resource setting, Uganda
dc.description.sponsorshipThe European Union under grant number RIA2017MC-2029 : Busitema University.
dc.identifier.citationOkalany, N. R. A., Engebretsen, I. M. S., Mukunya, D., Chebet, M., Okello, F., Weeks, A. D., Mwanda, E., Muhindo, R., Bisso, F., Tylleskär, T., Olupot-Olupot, P., & Burgoine, K. (2025). Congenital cytomegalovirus in eastern Uganda: prevalence and outcomes. BMC Pediatrics, 25(1), 179. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05518-7
dc.identifier.urihttps://bdears.busitema.ac.ug/handle/123456789/7020
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherBMC Pediatrics
dc.relation.ispartofseriesBMC Pediatrics ; (2025) 25:179
dc.titleCongenital cytomegalovirus in eastern Uganda : prevalence and outcomes.
dc.typeArticle
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