Cytomegalovirus

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus related to the herpes virus group of infections. Like疱疹，它有时不活跃，但它是一种无法治愈的生命时间感染。如果母亲在怀孕期间首次感染，CMV是一个主要问题。

  • The virus normally produces no symptoms in people who are generally healthy.
  • CMV感染的症状可能看起来相似mononucleosis(fever, swollen glands, constant fatigue,扁桃体炎, liver malfunction).
  • 据估计，所有成年人的一半是或已经感染了30岁的时间。
  • CMV may be a worry for organ transplant recipients, who may have acquired the virus from the donor or may have a reactivation of the infection due to immune-suppression therapy.
  • About 1 to 4 percent of women first become infected while pregnant.
  • Complications from a congenital (present at birth) CMV infection includehearing loss, mental retardation, orepilepsy.

为什么is cytomegalovirus harmful?

Most people who have CMV aren’t aware of it because the virus rarely produces symptoms. The biggest concern is for people who have weak immune systems and women who become infected while pregnant.

Over half of women of childbearing age become infected with CMV at least six months before becoming pregnant.

  • There appear to be few risks for complications of CMV for this group, and only a few babies have the infection at birth.
  • These babies appear to have no significant illness or abnormalities.

According to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention（CDC），约1至4％的女性首先在怀孕期间感染CMV。

  • With a first infection during pregnancy, there is a higher risk that after birth the baby may have CMV-related complications.
  • About 5 to 10 percent of babies with congenital CMV will have signs of the infection at birth. Of these, over 90 percent will have serious complications includinghearing loss, visual impairment, mental retardation,自闭症,attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder,epilepsy, or sometimes death.
  • Premature babiesmay be at increased risk for these problems.

Although CMV may be transmitted at delivery or through breast milk, these infections usually do not cause illness in a full-term baby. Premature babies, however, are at greater risk for health complications from CMV transmission through breast milk.

Cytomegalovirus如何传播？

  • CMV is found in bodily fluids such as saliva, urine, semen, and others.
  • The virus is easily spread in households and in daycare centers.
  • It can be transmitted to the fetus during pregnancy and to the baby during delivery or in breast milk.

How can I prevent catching cytomegalovirus?

Although an infected person may transmit the virus at any time, proper hand washing with soap and water is effective in removing the virus from the hands.

What are the symptoms of cytomegalovirus?

Most babies with congenital CMV do not have symptoms of the infection at birth. However, each baby may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

The symptoms of CMV may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your baby’s physician for a diagnosis.

How does a doctor know my child has cytomegalovirus?

  • Most infections with CMV in the mother are not diagnosed because the virus produces few symptoms.
  • 在她的血流中可能有患有CMV感染的母亲。

If your baby’s doctor suspects CMV, the doctor may screen your baby’s

  • blood
  • urine
  • 唾液
  • liver function
  • hearing
  • brain, via超声

Is there a way to diagnose cytomegalovirus before my baby is born?

  • If the mother has symptoms similar tomononucleosis(fever, swollen glands, constant fatigue,扁桃体炎, liver malfunction) while pregnant, she may be given a test to screen for CMV.
  • Aprenatal ultrasoundcan test your baby for symptoms of a CMV infection by allowing your doctor to inspect the brain as well as your baby’s gestational size.

How do we treat cytomegalovirus?

Children with a CMV infection may receive

  • the anti-viral medication ganciclovir
  • CMV-Ig, which contains CMV antibodies from a blood donor.

Data suggests these anti-viral agents can reducehearing loss，CMV相关的肝炎和CMV相关的胃肠炎在新生儿中。

Treatment may be prolonged for infants, but rarely requires lifetime management. Solid organ transplant patients may require lifetime management of CMV, in light of the immune-suppression therapy required to prevent organ rejection.

How Boston Children’s Hospital approaches cytomegalovirus

由于CMV可能是新生婴儿的担忧，因此波士顿儿童的医生认为，当他们早期来说，诊断和治疗是最有益的;这些可以包括用于感染和抗病毒剂的产前筛查。研究人员还在寻找方法来防止从母乳传输CMV到预期婴儿，以及管理器官移植受体的CMV的方法。