{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.022404371584699455, 'fraction_numerical': 0.012021857923497269, 'mean_word_length': 5.539285714285715, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Seroprevalence of Cytomegalovirus among Women of Reproductive Age Attending Selected Hospitals in Zaria Metropolis, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Background to the Study: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a member of herpesvirus family. It is the most genetically complex viral pathogen of humans and now the commonest congenital form of infective neurological handicap recognized by the institute of medicine as the leading priority for the developed world in congenital infection. HCMV infection among women of reproductive age especially those that are pregnant can lead to congenital abnormalities and is often associated with serious complications such as microcephaly, mental retardation, deafness and spastic paralysis. This study was done to determine the seroprevalence rate of HCMV infection and its associated risk factors among women of reproductive age in three selected hospitals in Zaria metropolis, Kaduna State. The Cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 consenting women of reproductive age. A structured questionnaire was administered to obtain some demographic data and possible risk factors associated with the infection. The presence of HCMV IgG and IgM specific antibodies were examined in the patients’ serum samples using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. Statistical package for social science (SPSS version 23) was employed to test for the associated risk factors for the infection using the Chi-square test. The result of analysis obtained revealed an overall prevalence of 94.7% (284/300) and 23.9% (88/300) for HCMV IgG and IgM antibodies respectively. The participants’ age, nature of occupation, marital status, sexual activities such as-multiple sexual partners and engaging in unprotected sex, were found to be significantly associated with CMV infection among the study population.