What is congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV)?

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a viral infection that can lead to birth defects, including hearing loss, cognitive impairment, and disabilities.

How many newborns in Manitoba have been screened for cCMV?

More than 1,500 newborns in Manitoba have been screened for cCMV since the screening program was expanded in December.

Why is early screening for cCMV important?

Early screening helps identify babies with cCMV who may need additional testing, monitoring, and treatment to prevent potential complications and lifelong disabilities.

Home / Health / Manitoba newborns screened for virus causing birth defects

Manitoba newborns screened for virus causing birth defects

18 Feb

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Summary

Over 1,500 Manitoba newborns screened for cCMV since December.
Congenital cytomegalovirus can cause hearing loss and disabilities.
Advocacy led to cCMV testing being added to Manitoba's program.

Since December, over 1,500 newborns in Manitoba have been screened for congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), a virus capable of causing birth defects. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara confirmed that cCMV testing is now part of Manitoba's universal newborn screening program. This initiative aims to identify the infection early, which is crucial as infants with cCMV often show no symptoms at birth.

The expanded screening program is a significant step, as cCMV is a leading non-genetic cause of permanent hearing loss in children and can result in lifelong disabilities for about 20% of affected infants. Advocacy by parents, such as Rob Tétrault whose son was born with cCMV, played a key role in the government's decision to implement this testing. The Canadian CMV Foundation reports that approximately one in 200 Canadian infants contract the virus during pregnancy.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.