The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborn infants at an intensive care unit in a public hospital.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in newborn infants admitted to an intensive care unit in a public hospital in Porto Alegre. METHODS A cross-sectional study of 261 newborn infants born at a public hospital in the city of Porto Alegre in 2003 and admitted to the intensive care ward. Urine samples were collected within 7 days of birth and a polymerase chain reaction-PCR performed to test for cytomegalovirus DNA. RESULTS The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection among the study population was 0.8% (95% CI: 0.097-2.86). It was not possible to assess risk factors because this prevalence was so low. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in an intensive care unit at a public hospital in Porto Alegre was not considered elevated and was comparable with prevalence rates found by other studies.