Symptoms:

Most congenitally infected children do not have symptoms. Only about 1 out of 10 infants congenitally infected with CMV have these symptoms:

• Inflammation of the retina
• Jaundice
• Large spleen and liver
• Low birth weight
• Mineral deposits in the brain
• Rash at birth (petechiae)
• Seizures
• Small head size (microcephaly)

Signs and tests:

During the exam, the health care provider may find:

• Abnormal breath sounds indicating pneumonia
• Enlarged liver
• Enlarged spleen
• Psychomotor retardation

Tests include:

• Antibody titer against CMV for both the mother and infant
• Bilirubin level and blood tests for liver function
• CBC
• CT scan or ultrasound of the head
• Funduscopy
• TORCH screen
• Urine culture for CMV virus in the first 2 to 3 weeks of life
• X-ray of the chest