Antibody tests cannot be used to diagnose congenital CMV; a diagnosis can only be made if the virus is detected during the first week of life. Congenital CMV cannot be diagnosed if the infant is tested more than one week after birth.Visually healthy infants are not routinely tested for CMV infection although only 10–20% will show signs of infection at birth though up to 80% may go onto show signs of prenatal infection in later life. If a pregnant woman finds out that she has become infected with CMV for the first time during her pregnancy, she should have her infant tested for CMV as soon as possible after birth.Treatment for CMV infection should start at 1 month of age and should occur for 6 months. The options for treatment are intravenous ganciclovir and oral valganciclovir. After diagnosis, it is important to further investigate any possible evidence of end-organ disease and symptoms through blood tests, imaging, ophthalmology tests, and hearing tests. Prevention
Recommendations for pregnant women with regard to CMV infection:
Throughout the pregnancy, practice good personal hygiene, especially handwashing with soap and water, after contact with diapers or oral secretions (particularly with a child who is in day care). Sharing of food, eating and drinking utensils, and contact with toddlers saliva should be avoided. Women who develop a mononucleosis-like illness during pregnancy should be evaluated for CMV infection and counseled about the possible risks to the unborn child. Laboratory testing for antibody to CMV can be performed to determine if a woman has already had CMV infection.
Fluocinonide (sold under various trade names) is a potent glucocorticoid used topically as an anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of skin disorders such as eczema and seborrhoeic dermatitis. It relieves itching, redness, dryness, crusting, scaling, inflammation, and discomfort. The usual prescription concentration is 0.05% as a topical cream, ointment, solution, or gel. The application area should normally not be covered after application. In certain cases, the physician may recommend the use of an occlusive dressing after application to increase the rate and depth of absorption. The frequency of application depends on the condition being treated and the area affected, but most often it should be applied 2 to 4 times a day.Fluocinonide ranks as a "high-potency" (second-highest rank) topical corticosteroid. Minimal amounts should be used for a minimal length of time to avoid the occurrence of adverse effects.Fluocinonide should not be used if infection is present. It should not be applied to the eyes or to sensitive areas such as the genitals or anus.A common potential adverse effect is skin atrophy (thinning of the skin). Systemic absorption of topical corticosteroids can produce reversible hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) suppression, manifestations of Cushings syndrome, hyperglycemia, and glucosuria in some patients. Fluocinonide should be used with caution when treating children, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and anyone using the medication for longer than two weeks. Fluocinonide is used in veterinary medicine. It is a treatment for allergies in dogs. Natural systemic cortisol concentrations can be suppressed for weeks after one week of topical exposure.