Overview

• The JAMA Network Open study from the University of Minnesota reports that dried blood spot testing detects over 90% of symptomatic congenital CMV cases.
• Researchers say the approach effectively flags babies most likely to benefit from early interventions and ongoing developmental monitoring.
• Using the existing heel-prick sample avoids extra specimen collection, reducing time, cost, and stress for families compared with urine or saliva testing.
• Minnesota began universal newborn screening for cCMV in 2023, and study co-author Mark Schleiss says the new data supports broader universal testing.
• Authors report funding from the CDC Emerging Infections Program and the March of Dimes, with disclosed relationships noted, and contextualize cCMV as occurring in about 1 in 200 births with roughly 20% facing long-term problems.