The virus accounts for 20% of sensorineural hearing loss in children.These risks appear to be almost exclusively associated with women who previously have not been infected with CMV and who are having their first infection with the virus during pregnancy. There appears to be little risk of CMV-related complications for women who have been infected at least 6 months prior to conception. For this group, which makes up 50% to 80% of the women of child-bearing age, the rate of newborn CMV infection is 1%, and these infants appear to have no significant illness or abnormalities.The virus can also be transmitted to the infant at delivery from contact with genital secretions or later in infancy through breast milk. However, these infections usually result in little or no clinical illness in the infant. CMV can also be transferred through blood transfusions and close contact with large groups of children.To summarise, during a pregnancy when a woman who has never had CMV infection becomes infected with CMV, there is a risk that after birth the infant may have CMV-related complications, the most common of which are associated with hearing loss, visual impairment, or diminished mental and motor capabilities. On the other hand, healthy infants and children who acquire CMV after birth have few, if any, symptoms or complications. However, infants born preterm and infected with CMV after birth (especially via breastmilk) may experience cognitive and motor impairments later in life.Symptoms associated with CMV, such as hearing loss, can result in further developmental delay.
A delay in general speech and language development is more common in children with CMV. Children with symptomatic CMV have been found to have a greater incidence of long-term neurological and neurodevelopmental complications than children with fetal alcohol syndrome or down syndrome.Congenital cytomegalovirus infection can be an important cause of intraventricular hemorrhage and neonatal encephalopathy. Diagnosis
CMV Testing
People infected with CMV develop antibodies to it, initially IgM later IgG indicating current infection and immunity respectively. The virus can be diagnosed through viral isolation, or using blood, urine, or saliva samples.When infected with CMV, most women have no symptoms, but some may have symptoms resembling mononucleosis. Women who develop a mononucleosis-like illness during pregnancy should consult their medical provider.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not recommend routine maternal screening for CMV infection during pregnancy because there is no test that can definitively rule out primary CMV infection during pregnancy. Women who are concerned about CMV infection during pregnancy should practice CMV prevention measures. Considering that the CMV virus is present in saliva, urine, tears, blood, mucus, and other bodily fluids, frequent hand washing with soap and water is important after contact with diapers or oral secretions, especially with a child who is in daycare or interacting with other young children on a regular basis.A diagnosis of congenital CMV infection can be made if the virus is found in an infants urine, saliva, blood, or other body tissues during the first week after birth.