More than half of all people have been infected by age 40.
When contracted during pregnancy, CMV infection can affect the fetus.
Symptoms
Most CMV infections have no symptoms.
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When CMV does cause symptoms, they often are similar to those seen with many common illnesses.
In non-pregnant people and people with healthy immune systems, CMV infection is usually not a concern.
Some people can develop conditions that include pneumonia, gastrointestinal illness, and hepatitis.
Congenital CMV
Congenital CMV pops up if infection in a pregnant person passes to the fetus.
It is the most common viral infection to do so.
CMV can lead to birth defects, typically affecting one in five babies born with congenital CMV.
The infection can cause temporary and permanent disabilities including:
Congenital CMV only occurs during pregnancy.
If CMV occurs after birth, there is no risk of congenital complications.
It’s important for these children to have routine testing and care.
Saliva or urine tests are preferred when testing for CMV in newborns.
Treatment
There is no known cure for CMV.
Older adults may be at additional risk.
There is no increased risk of CMV simply because it happened before.
Don’t share food and drink with others and keep countertops and other surfaces clean.
Talk with your healthcare provider if you have specific concerns about CMV exposure or spread.
Mild symptoms can occur but some people do not experience any at all.
It’s a common cause of hearing loss but also leads to other lifelong health issues.
Researchers continue to work on vaccines and other treatments, but prevention currently relies on careful hygiene practices.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Cytomegliovirus (CMV) and congenital CMV infection.
Weill Cornell Medicine.Vaccine shows promise against CMV, a virus that causes birth defects.
National CMV Foundation.Signs & symptoms of CMV infection.
Royston L, Papanicolaou GA, Neofytos D.Refractory/resistant cytomegalovirus infection in transplant recipients: An update.Viruses.
2024 Jul 5;16(7):1085. doi:10.3390/v16071085
National CMV Foundation.CMV & pregnancy.
National CMV Foundation.Frequently asked questions.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.Novel CMV vaccine generates stronger response in key immune cells than previous candidate.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Infectious mononucleosis.
