epidemiological analysis of cytomegalovirus infection in children: a five-year study

Background: cytomegalovirus (cmv) is a ubiquitous pathogen of significant medical importance; however, up-to-date data on the prevalence of cmv urinary shedding and seropositivity in children are scarce. objectives: this study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological traits of human cmv and the implications of the covid-19 pandemic on its spread. methods: we retrospectively collected laboratory surveillance data on cmv infection in children aged under 18, comparing the periods before the covid-19 pandemic (january 2018 to december 2019) and during the pandemic (january 2020 to december 2022). urine samples were analyzed for cmv dna using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and cmv antibodies were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay. results: our cohort included 39,903 children tested for cmv dna and 70,574 tested for cmv antibodies. the overall prevalence of cmv urine shedding was 16.6%, congenital cmv (ccmv) prevalence was 1.13%, and seroprevalence of igm and igg was 3.96% and 85.06%, respectively. peaks of urinary cmv (ucmv) shedding and igm antibody production occurred at 3 months to 1 year (67.02%) and 4 weeks to 3 months (11.96%), respectively, both declining sharply with age. logistic regression indicates that the covid-19 pandemic independently contributed to a decreased prevalence of urine cmv dna and cmv igm, while it led to an increase in the prevalence of cmv igg. conclusions: continuous monitoring and a deeper understanding of cmv's epidemiological characteristics are crucial for preventing cmv infections in children and for the potential development of a multivalent cmv vaccine.