Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common congenital viral infection worldwide. The symptom of congenital CMV infection encountered most frequently is sensorineural hearing loss, which will affect approximately one out of five congenitally infected newborns. Because of the late-onset nature of the hearing loss, up to half of the children with congenital CMV-related hearing loss may not be detected in the newborn hearing screening. This thesis addresses several aspects of congenital CMV infection in general and more specifically in the Netherlands, in order to determine the necessity and feasibility of newborn screening for congenital CMV. ; Promotor: A.C.M. Kroes, Co-promotor: A.C.T.M. Vossen ; With summary in Dutch ; Netherlands Society of Medical Microbiology (NVMM) and the Royal Netherlands Society for Microbiology (KNVM)