JOURNAL ARTICLE

Cytomegalovirus Saliva Shedding Kinetics in Children with Congenital CMV Infection.

  • Published In: Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, 2025, v. 14, n. 5. P. 1 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Pinninti, Swetha; Pati, Sunil; Novak, Zdenek; Fowler, Karen; Boppana, Suresh; Ross, Shannon 3 of 3

Abstract

This article focuses on the natural history of saliva cytomegalovirus (CMV) shedding kinetics in children with congenital CMV infection (cCMV) identified through universal newborn screening. In a cohort of 197 children followed prospectively for four years, CMV DNA was detectable in saliva for a median duration of 20 months, with shedding frequency and viral load declining over time regardless of newborn symptoms or sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) status. Approximately one-third of the children exhibited intermittent saliva CMV shedding, and antiviral therapy did not significantly alter shedding duration. The findings suggest that absence of CMV DNA in saliva by 6–7 months of age may reasonably exclude cCMV in infants not screened at birth, while highlighting the prolonged and variable nature of CMV shedding in this population.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society. 2025/05, Vol. 14, Issue 5, p1
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Consumer Health
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:2048-7193
  • DOI:10.1093/jpids/piaf040
  • Accession Number:188155023
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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