CMV Educational Booklet
Cytomegalovirus - IS YOUR BABY PROTECTED?
CMV is a common virus that can be contracted through contact with the saliva or urine of
children. Toddlers often get CMV infections at preschool. Pregnant women can take steps to
reduce their risk of exposure to CMV.
CMV and Birth Defects
In the United States, more than 5,000 children suffer permanent disabilities caused by
congenital CMV infection every year. Children impacted by congenital CMV may have:
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developmental disabilities
hearing and/or vision loss
seizures
small body size at birth
problems with the liver, spleen or lungs
In rare cases, congenital CMV causes death.
Have you heard about the Cytomegalovirus?
While many people have never heard of it, cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a common virus that
infects people of all ages. Most CMV infections are "silent," which means that the majority of
people who are infected with CMV have no signs or symptoms. Once a person has had a CMV
infection, the virus usually lies dormant (or inactive) in the body, but it can be reactivated. The
virus is more likely to be reactivated — and cause serious illness — in people who have
weakened immune systems. However, pregnant women who are infected can transmit CMV to
their fetuses, causing a congenital CMV infection.
A "congenital" infection is one that is transmitted from mother to baby during the pregnancy.
Congenital CMV infection can cause hearing loss, seizures and developmental disabilities.
Kids typically become infected in early childhood, especially those in childcare and preschool
settings. CMV infections are rarely serious in otherwise healthy kids and adults; they usually
cause only mild symptoms, if any.
CMV is mainly a problem for certain high-risk groups, including:
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unborn babies whose mothers become infected with CMV during the pregnancy
children or adults whose immune systems have been weakened by disease or drug
treatment, such as organ transplant recipients or people infected with HIV
CMV Educational Booklet
Are you Pregnant?
For pregnant women, the most common exposures to CMV are through contact with the saliva
and urine of young children or through sexual contact. Young children can transmit CMV for
months after they first become infected. However, CMV does not spread easily. One in 5
parents of children who have active CMV infections become infected with CMV over the course
of a year.
Can Congenital CMV Infection Be Harmful to my Baby?
In the United States, more than 5,000 children suffer illness and permanent disabilities caused
by congenital CMV infection every year, although many infants – about 80 out of 100 – with
congenital CMV infection never develop symptoms or disabilities from the infection. Children
with congenital CMV infection are more likely to have permanent disabilities if they had
symptoms of CMV infection at birth. However, some children with congenital CMV infection
who appear healthy at birth can develop hearing or vision loss over time.
Can CMV Infection Be Transmitted through Bodily Fluids?
People who are infected with CMV can transmit the virus from their body fluids, such as urine,
saliva, blood, breast milk, and semen. The virus is generally passed from infected people to
others through direct contact with body fluids. CMV can be sexually transmitted, or it can
spread from mother to fetus through the placenta. It can also be spread through transplanted
organs and blood transfusions.
Which are some of the Signs and Symptoms of CMV Infection?
Signs of CMV infection that may be present at birth
● Premature birth
● Liver problems
● Lung problems
● Spleen problems
● Small size at birth
● Small head size
● Seizures
Permanent health problems or disabilities due to congenital CMV infection
● Hearing loss
● Vision loss
CMV Educational Booklet
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Mental disability
Small head size
Lack of coordination
Seizures
Death (in rare cases)
Children with congenital CMV infection are more likely to have permanent disabilities if they
had symptoms of CMV infection at birth. However, some children with congenital CMV
infection who appear healthy at birth can develop hearing or vision loss over time due to
congenital CMV infection. For this reason, if you know your baby was born with CMV infection,
it is important to have his or her hearing and vision tested regularly.
Are there any Prevention Measures that I can implement?
Avoid exposure to children's bodily fluids that might contain CMV, by:
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Wash your hands often with soap and water for 15-20 seconds, especially after:
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changing diapers
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feeding a young child
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wiping a young child's nose or drool
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handling children's toys
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Do not share food, drinks, or eating utensils used by young children
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Do not share a toothbrush with a young child
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Avoid contact with saliva when kissing a child
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Do not put a child's pacifier in your mouth
What if my Baby was born with CMV?
If your baby is diagnosed with congenital CMV infection, you should have his or her hearing and
vision checked regularly. About 80% of babies with congenital CMV infection grow up healthy,
but if your child starts to have hearing or vision problems, early detection can help his or her
development. If your baby is infected and has symptoms of congenital CMV infection, talk with
your doctor about the benefits and risks of antiviral drug treatments.
There is some evidence that ganciclovir, an antiviral drug, may prevent hearing loss and
developmental outcomes in infants born with symptomatic congenital CMV infection with
central nervous system involvement. However, this drug has serious side effects and has only
been tested in children with severe symptoms from congenital CMV infection. If your child has
CMV Educational Booklet
symptoms of congenital CMV infection, you should consult with your doctor to decide whether
to try treatment.
CMV Testing during Pregnancy
Healthy pregnant women are not at special risk for disease from CMV infection. When
infected with CMV, most women have no symptoms, but some may have symptoms
resembling mononucleosis. Women who develop a mononucleosis or flu-like illness during
pregnancy should consult their medical provider about CMV testing. CDC does not
recommend routine maternal screening for CMV infection during pregnancy. A single test
cannot definitively rule out primary CMV infection during pregnancy, especially if testing
occurs after the first trimester. Women who are concerned about CMV infection during
pregnancy should consult their physicians about the best ways to avoid problems from CMV
infection.
CMV Testing of Infants
Tests that detect the virus are used to diagnose CMV infection at birth (congenital CMV
infection). A diagnosis of congenital CMV infection can be made if the virus is found in an
infant’s urine, saliva, blood, or other body tissues within 2-3 weeks after birth. Antibody
tests cannot be used to diagnose congenital CMV; a diagnosis can only be made if the virus
is detected within 2-3 weeks of life. Congenital CMV cannot be diagnosed if the infant is
tested more than 2-3 weeks after birth.
Healthy infants are not routinely tested for CMV infection. If you find out that you became
infected with CMV for the first time during your pregnancy, make sure your infant is tested
for CMV as soon as he or she is born.
If your infant is diagnosed with congenital CMV infection, you should have his or her hearing
and vision checked regularly.
Babies infected with CMV after birth generally are not at risk for problems unless they were
born very prematurely and have very low birth weights.
CMV Educational Booklet
Resources:
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Mayo Clinic Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Utah Department of Health
National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases
US National Library of Medicine
Medlineplus
Merck Manuals
Alder, S., & Nigro, G. (2013). Prevention of Maternal Fetal Transmission of CMV. CID,
3(57), 189-192. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
9. Demmler-Harrison, G. (2007). Congenital cytomegalovirus: Public health action towards
awareness, prevention, and treatment. Journal of Clinical Virology, S1-S5.
10. Fu, T., An, Z., & Wang, D. (2014). Progress on pursuit of human cytomegalovirus vaccines
for
prevention of congenital infection and disease. Vaccine, 33(22), 2525-2533.
11. Jeon, J. et. al, 2006. Knowledge and Awareness of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Among
Women, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and
Gynecology, Volume 2006, Articles ID 80383, Pages 1-7.
12. Johnson, J., Anderson, B., & Pass, R. (2013). Prevention of Maternal and Congenital
Cytomegalovirus Infection. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 55(2), 521-530.
13. Levis, D., & Kilgo, C. (2014). Building Capacity to Communicate to Women about CMV.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
14. Lipitz, S., Yinon, Y., Malinger, G., Yagel, S., Levit, L., Hoffman, C., ... Weisz, B. (2013). Risk
of cytomegalovirus-associated sequelae in relation to time of infection and
findings on
prenatal imaging. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, 41(5), 508-514.