Inner ear damage in congenital CMV infection

The audiovestibular consequences of congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection form an important line of research within the ‘Ear and Hearing’ research group (Dept of Head and Skin). This research line is supported by the multicentric CMV registry, the comprehensive cCMV audiovestibular follow-up protocol at the ENT department of Ghent University Hospital and involves close collaboration with the audiovestibular research group (Dept of Rehabilitation Sciences) and the departments of Neonatology and Clinical Biology. Through parallel clinical and experimental research, I aim to unravel the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying hearing loss in cCMV. The clinical research will focus on the phenomenon of delayed-onset hearing loss (cumulative incidence, patient-related and virological risk factors and the (protective) effect of antiviral treatment). The experimental research line will investigate the immunometabolic mechanisms of hearing loss through mouse studies and the establishment of a human perilymph biobank.