The American Academy of Audiology Releases Position Statement on Early Identification of Cytomegalovirus in Newborns

The “American Academy of Audiology Position Statement on Early Identification of Cytomegalovirus in Newborns” was published on March 27, 2023, in the Journal of the American Academy of Audiology and is also available on the Academy’s Practice Guidelines and Standards website, accompanied by a video abstract.

Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the leading cause of nongenetic childhood sensorineural hearing loss. Despite the high prevalence of cCMV and its negative effect on infants, awareness of the virus is alarmingly low. cCMV-related hearing loss is sensorineural, can be unilateral or bilateral, and is most often detectable at birth. Early cCMV screening is critical for the accurate identification of hearing loss etiology and early treatment.  

The American Academy of Audiology recommends early identification of cCMV through screening to allow for appropriate early diagnosis, intervention, and monitoring for congenital, progressive, and delayed-onset hearing loss in infants with cCMV. Early identification of cCMV is a valuable component in the diagnostic evaluation of infants with sensorineural hearing loss. The Academy recognizes the important role audiologists serve as clinical care providers and educators and advocates for early identification and audiological management of infants with cCMV.