(*4), pleural effusion and peritoneal effusion
(*5) are among the characteristic symptoms of congenital CMV infection. Approximately 90% of infants who experience these clinical manifestations are left with the aforementioned severe aftereffects.
In recent years, it has been discovered that treating newborns with these clinical manifestations of congenital CMV infection with the antiviral drug, Valganciclovir, can improve not only hearing issues but also reduce delays in mental and physical development. In Japan, a clinical trial is ongoing to approve the neonatal therapies as treatments covered by public health insurance.
On the other hand, there are some cases where clear clinical manifestations of CMV infection can be diagnosed in fetuses via ultrasound while they are still in the uterus. It is supposed that infants who exhibit these symptoms in the uterus are more likely to experience more severe aftereffects than infants who are diagnosed with congenital CMV infection after being born.