Providers in New York will begin screening newborns for congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV)—one of the most common viral causes of birth defects in the country—in a one-year study starting October 2.
New York follows Minnesota as the second state to test for CMV during free, routine blood tests that scan for conditions like congenital hypothyroidism or cystic fibrosis. The screening can help parents and caretakers of babies who test positive for CMV arrange early treatment before an infection leads to long-term complications.
“We think that this [pilot program] will bear fruit,” New York State Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, who sponsored a bill that aims to add CMV to the newborn screening test, told Healthcare Brew. “So many people—even doctors—are unaware of the dangers of CMV, which can range from blindness and, most often, deafness.”
How it works
Within 36 hours of birth, providers take a newborn’s blood sample, which is dried and expeditiously shipped to a lab that tests for about 50 conditions as well as CMV, according to the New York State Department of Health.
If a baby screens positive for CMV, providers can confirm the diagnosis with a urine test and refer the parents or caretakers of the newborn to an infectious disease specialist for further evaluation and treatment.
Parents and caretakers may also consent to having the newborn with CMV added to a long-term follow-up registry to help the infectious disease community understand best treatment plans as well as how the virus presents among a diverse population and how the infection can affect children’s development, according to the state health department.
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About one in 200 US babies is born with CMV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Pregnant people may unknowingly pass the infection—which can often have no symptoms—on to the fetus, the state health department found.
About 10% of babies with CMV have observable symptoms including jaundice, microcephaly, and seizures, state health department spokesperson Danielle De Souza told Healthcare Brew via email. Another 10%–15% of babies born with CMV are asymptomatic, but “will develop hearing and/or vision loss and display other symptoms later in childhood,” she added.
Zoom out
The results of the pilot program may help New York state officials determine whether to permanently add CMV to the state newborn screening test. Rosenthal and New York state Senator John Mannion’s proposed legislation is on hold pending the results of the pilot program, the assemblymember said.
The legislation is one of Rosenthal and Mannion’s latest efforts to address CMV in New York. In November 2022, the state passed their bill known as “Elizabeth’s Law” to increase awareness of the virus and educate childcare providers on CMV prevention, as young children are a “common source” of the infection, per the CDC.