[P2-3] Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children with Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection
[Introduction] It is well known that congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can cause several neurological complications with neuroimaging abnormalities, including cerebral calcification, ventriculomegaly, migration abnormalities, cortical atrophy, cerebellar hypoplasia, and cerebral white matter lesions. Recent reports have also described cases of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) associated with congenital CMV infection. However, the incidence of ASD and its relationship with CMV and other neurodevelopmental and neuroimaging features remain elusive. [Methods] Nineteen children (9 boys, 10 girls; mean age: 7.9 years, range: 3-17 years) were diagnosed as having congenital CMV infection by polymerase chain reaction findings of dried umbilical cords. The subjects underwent brain MRI and were evaluated for the presence of autistic features, developmental quotient (DQ), intellectual quotient (IQ), and neurological findings by pediatric neurologists. [Results] Nine (6 boys, 3 girls; mean age: 8.1 years, range: 3-17 years) of 19 children (47%) had ASD. Complicating sensorineural hearing loss was detected in 7 ASD (3 bilateral, 4 unilateral) and 9 non-ASD (4 bilateral, 5 unilateral) patients. Mean IQ/DQ was 69 in ASD and 86 in non-ASD children, which was not a significant difference. One child with ASD had cortical dysplasia. Cerebral white matter lesions, which were detected in 7 ASD and 7 non-ASD patients, were located primarily in the occipital, followed next by frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes. These were larger in ASD children, albeit not significantly. [Conclusions] Congenital CMV infection had a high rate of complicating ASD but autistic behaviors appeared unrelated to hearing function, IQ/DQ, and brain MRI findings