children s health issues
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection in Newborns
Introduction
Cytomegalovirus is a common Overview of Viral Infections that usually causes few or no problems but can cause serious illness in infants who are infected before birth or around the time of birth. Cytomegalovirus infection is caused by a virus. Most newborns do not have symptoms, but some do depending on when they were infected. Doctors diagnose the infection by identifying the virus in a sample of urine, saliva, blood, or tissue. Newborns may develop neurologic problems such as hearing loss. Handwashing can help prevent spread of the virus. Cytomegalovirus infection cannot be cured, but some antivirals can limit the problems caused by infection. (See also Overview of Infections in Newborns and Infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) is very common. Blood tests show that 60 to 90% of adults have had a CMV infection at some time. The virus never goes completely away and remains dormant (inactive) in various tissues for life. Sometimes the virus reactivates. Pregnant women who have never had CMV may acquire the infection easily through contact with infected people, most commonly young children. Women may also have active CMV because a previously dormant infection reactivated. In either case, the woman may not have any symptoms. When a baby contracts CMV infection in the uterus, it is called congenital CMV infection. When a baby develops the infection immediately before, during, or shortly after birth, it is called perinatal CMV infection. CMV infection is the most common congenital viral infection. A woman can pass the virus to her fetus during pregnancy if the virus crosses the placenta (the organ that provides nourishment to the fetus) and infects the fetus. Newborns may also become infected during passage through the birth canal, through breast milk containing the virus, or through a contaminated blood transfusion. Preterm (Premature) Newborns are at higher risk of developing symptoms from CMV infection because they are less likely to have protective antibodies from their mother. CMV infection may cause different problems in newborns depending on whether they were infected before or after birth. 