The public health impact of congenital toxoplasmosis and cytomegalovirus infection in Belgium

Congenital toxoplasmosis and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection can lead to lifelong disabilities and even fetal or neaonatal death. Although the clinical impact is well studied, their population level impact is often insufficently characterized; However, such information is vital for evidence-based health policy and for prioritizing the development of much needed prevention and intervention programs.
In Belgium, data concerning both infections is generated by the National Reference Centre for Congenital Infections (NRC-CI) and the Flemish congenital CMV registry as well as by means of prenatal serological screening. Unfortunately, this does not contribute directly to any decision making processes, mainlby because the available data is only an indirect representation of the impact.
The goal of this research project is to assess the public health impact of congenital toxoplasmosis and CMV infection in Belgium using available data sources. Upon success of this project, our knowledge on the clinical impact of these infections will be updated; a statistical up-to-date methodological framework will be developed to routinely monitor the incidence of both infections; the impact of congenital infections will be quantified for the first time; and the impact and cost-effectiveness of potential interventions can be evaluated. By applying the proposed methodology to other diseases, the health state of the Belgian population can be mapped in an efficent and policy-relevant way.