Prevalence of cytomegalovirus DNAemia and genotypic distribution among childbearing mothers and neonates in Taiwan

Abstract

Background: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading cause of neurologic disabilities and sensorineural hearing loss in children. However, in Taiwan, there is limited information on the genotypic diversity and prevalence of perinatal CMV infection in both mothers and neonates. The aim of this study was to screen samples from both mothers and umbilical cord blood for CMV at the time of delivery and to determine the CMV genotypic distribution. Methods: Between June 2012 and July 2015, residual maternal and umbilical cord blood samples were collected from consenting participants admitted to the Chang Bing Show Chwan Memorial Hospital in central Taiwan. The blood samples were screened for CMV DNA using real-time PCR assay, and the genotypic classification of the CMV UL55, UL144, and US28 genes was determined by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Results: A total of 1282 mother-neonate paired samples were enrolled in the study, 95.3% of whom were Taiwanese. CMV DNA was detectable in 6.2% of the maternal blood samples, with a significantly higher rate noted in non-Taiwanese mothers (11.7%,p = 0.027). For the 1,282 umbilical cord blood samples, CMV DNA was detectable in 5.3% of the samples. The presence of CMV DNA in maternal blood was positively associated with the presence of CMV DNA in umbilical cord blood (p = 0.01). In addition, the UL55, UL144, and US28 genotypic distribution was similar between mothers and neonates. Conclusion: The prevalence of CMV DNAemia in childbearing mothers and neonates is similar and their genotypic distribution implies potential CMV infection during pregnancy. Keywords: Congenital infection, Cytomegalovirus, Genotype, Neonate, Taiwan