The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced Wednesday that it would add congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) to the list of conditions for which Minnesota newborns are routinely screened.
According to MDH, cCMV is the first infectious disease to be added to the panel. cCMV is the most common viral infection in newborns. Affected newborns are at risk for intellectual disabilities, hearing loss, vision loss and other health problems. If detected early, children with cCMV may benefit from antiviral drugs, therapies, and intervention of hearing loss.
The Vivian Act, passed in 2021, authorized MDH to educate pregnant women and their health care providers about cCMV. This legislation also required that the Advisory Committee on Heritable and Congenital Disorders review cCMV as a possible candidate condition for inclusion on the newborn screening panel. MNAAP supported the Vivian Act and embraces the role health care providers play in raising awareness of cCMV with pregnant mothers and families.
