Buck P, Sweeney C, Georgieva M, Kunzweiler C, Tossonian H, Boyle K, Chirila C, Crawford R, Wolowacz S, Pesch M. Family spillover impact of congenital CMV int he United States and Canada. Poster presented at the Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Public Health & Policy Conference; September 7, 2025. Minneapolis, MN.

BACKGROUND: Congenital CMV (cCMV) is the major infectious cause of birth defects and a leading cause of sensorineural hearing loss and neurodevelopmental disability. Childhood illness and long-term sequelae impose significant financial costs and impact health-related quality of life (HRQoL), resulting in health strains on family members of those with cCMV (family “spillover” effects). The overall aim of this study is to examine the spillover effects of childhood cCMV infection and disease on families in the US and Canada.

METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational study in the US and Canada is ongoing. Children aged 0-17 years with a caregiver-reported diagnosis of cCMV, primary caregivers of the child, and siblings aged ?4 years living with the child are enrolled. Participant recruitment occurs via several avenues, including the National CMV Foundation, CMV Canada, CMV community alliances, and private Facebook groups; convenience sampling is utilized. Patient-reported outcome measures (self-reported or caregiver-assisted/completed) are collected online via 3 separate surveys. The child survey includes HRQoL, activities of daily living, health state utilities, and demographic/clinical characteristics. The caregiver survey includes work productivity, activity impairment, direct non-medical care costs of cCMV-diagnosed children, caregiver HRQoL and health state utilities, and demographic/socioeconomic characteristics. The sibling survey includes HRQoL, health state utilities, and demographic characteristics.

RESULTS: Data collection started in the US on August 12, 2024 and in Canada on September 20, 2024 and will end on March 31, 2025. Enrollment numbers as of March 12, 2025 are n=247 (caregiver), n=229 (child), and n=182 (sibling). Descriptive results for key patient-reported outcome domains will be presented, stratified by child age group and disease severity.

CONCLUSION: Quantifying the indirect costs and family spillover associated with cCMV infection and disease in children of all ages and sequelae severity is critical for supporting the full economic and societal impact of a future CMV vaccine.