Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is the most common cause of prenatal infection and the leading infectious cause of sensorineural hearing loss in childhood. Novel data indicate vestibular impairment is common in children with cCMV infection. Associations between endolymphatic hydrops and cCMV infection in humans are under debate, research reports are still scarce....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Audiologists and otolaryngologists should consider asking about cCMV history when evaluating young patients with Ménière's disease, though this case series is too small to change diagnostic protocols.
Identifying cCMV as a potential driver of Ménière's disease in young patients opens a new diagnostic pathway and may eventually inform antiviral treatment strategies.
- 01Case series links congenital CMV (cCMV) infection to Ménière's disease onset in young patients.
- 02cCMV is already the leading infectious cause of sensorineural (nerve-related) hearing loss.
- 03Findings raise the possibility that cCMV-related inner ear damage can progress to Ménière's disease.
- 04Case series design severely limits generalizability; no control group.
- 05Published in the Journal of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery (2026).
Congenital cytomegalovirus infection is a cause of Ménière's disease in young populations.
studypartially supportedcCMV is the leading infectious cause of sensorineural hearing loss.
studysupported- PMID
- 42806528
- DOI
- 10.1177/19160216261453902.
- Journal
- Journal of Otolaryngology — Head & Neck Surgery
- Publication type
- case_report
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- Young patients diagnosed with Ménière's disease and confirmed or suspected congenital CMV infection
- Intervention
- Retrospective evaluation of cCMV infection history in Ménière's disease patients
Primary outcomes
Presence of cCMV infection in young Ménière's disease patients; Clinical characteristics of cCMV-associated Ménière's disease