An Interferon-γ Release Assay for Evaluation of Cell-mediated Immunity in Infants With Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection

(See the Major Article by Capretti et al on pages 367–73.) Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection is the most common infection acquired in utero, with a birth prevalence of nearly 0.7% in the United States [1]. Of all infected infants with or without CMV symptoms at birth, 75% are born to seropositive women, and almost 20% will have permanent neurodevelopmental effects such as sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), motor disability, or cognitive delay [2]. While behavioral modifications can lower the risk of maternal CMV infection during pregnancy, no current intervention can prevent transmission from mother to fetus or reduce severity of disease in affected infants. More effective prevention and treatment approaches are needed, informed by a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that underly CMV transmission and of virus–host interactions during early congenital infection. T cells can be detected in human samples by parameters such as gene...