key: cord-0711497-hd4nfr4i
authors: Ríos-Barnés, María; Fontalvo, Melissa Andrea; Liñán, Nerea; Plana, Montserrat; Moreno, María; Esteva, Cristina; Muñoz-Almagro, Carmen; Noguera-Julian, Antoni; Alarcón, Ana
title: Letter to the Editor on the original article: Lower prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Portugal: possible impact of COVID-19 lockdown?
date: 2022-01-29
journal: Eur J Pediatr
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04354-y
sha: d7785f23ad0cd82aa1072c07dbfce5ca93d2b473
doc_id: 711497
cord_uid: hd4nfr4i

nan

by PCR in urine samples. Overall, 2735 neonates were included during the first 10 months of the study (February 1 to November 30, 2021), 10 tested positive, and only one case was confirmed in urine. Symptomatic disease at birth led to the diagnosis of one further case (out of 63 patients with clinical indication of cCMV investigation). The prevalence of cCMV was 0.071% (95% confidence interval: 0.020-0.260%).

The prevalence of cCMV in our study is very similar to that reported in Portugal, and far from the 0.6% that has been described in a meta-analysis in high-income countries [3] . Unfortunately, historical estimates of cCMV to compare with from our region are not available, but a recent study in Madrid reported a 0.47% prevalence rate [4] . It is likely that the lockdown measures and behavioral interventions to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Spain during 2020-2021 also impacted on CMV transmission and cCMV prevalence. In fact, a dramatic decrease in respiratory syncytial virus infections in the 2020 winter season [5] and a re-emergence of enterovirus D68 after easing the lockdown in 2021 [6] have also been reported, both viruses sharing the contact transmission route with CMV. We agree with Fernandez et al. [1] that our findings reinforce the role of behavioral risk reduction interventions to prevent cCMV in pregnant women.

Lower prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Portugal: possible impact of COVID-19 lockdown?

Performance of the Alethia CMV assay for detection of cytomegalovirus by use of neonatal saliva swabs

Review and meta-analysis of the epidemiology of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection

Prevalence and Clinical Manifestations of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection in a Screening Program in Madrid (PICCSA Study)

Acute bronchiolitis and respiratory syncytial virus seasonal transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain: a national perspective from the pediatric Spanish Society (AEP)

Re-emergence of enterovirus D68 in Europe after easing the COVID-19 lockdown

Acknowledgements Other members of the CRIB Study team are as