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CMV Virus in Babies

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cytomegalovirus (CMV) affects 80 percent of people by their 40th birthday. CMV is not a discriminating illness; it affects people in all classes and locations in the world. Lower-income populations are more likely to contract the virus than other social classes. Babies can contract the virus at birth. CMV stays with the affected person for life and may remain dormant in the body without any symptoms of illness. Typically, an individual will only experience the symptoms of CMV once. This means a seemingly healthy person can transmit this illness to a baby.

  1. Significance

    • Cytomegalovirus is a member of the herpes virus family. Like other herpes viruses, CMV can be transmitted before and after birth. Once the virus is transmitted, it can lie dormant and be passed on to others. It can also cause symptoms of illness. One type, recurrent CMV, presents symptoms multiple times in a person's life. The other type, primary CMV, may present symptoms once or not at all. If a carrier's immune system is weakened, CMV can become dangerous to the carrier's health. Babies are at risk of contracting CMV from their mother in a multitude of ways, including in the womb, during delivery and from breast-feeding.

    Symptoms

    • Twelve weeks after contracting the virus, a baby may be lethargic or feverish or have swollen glands. Most babies do not exhibit symptoms of CMV unless they contract it before birth. While still in the womb, a baby may show signs of infection. Low amniotic fluid levels, enlarged brain matter, and intrauterine growth restriction may indicate a general infection. Further testing would reveal whether this was due to CMV or some other infection. Babies who contract CMV before birth have a higher risk of complications than any other group. There is the potential for an enlarged liver and spleen in an infant with congenital CMV. Within the first 12 to 24 months of life, 80 to 90 percent of babies experience hearing and vision deficits and a range of mental retardation classifications. Of those who contract the virus, a small percentage may go on to develop hearing problems and developmental delays.

    How CMV Spreads

    • Like the other herpes viruses, CMV is spread via bodily functions. This is why a baby has so many early opportunities to contract the virus. Blood or organ transplants can also spread CMV. It is not a highly contagious virus, as it does require the exchange of bodily fluid. Children in day care or a home that already contains a CMV host, are much more likely to contract the virus.

    Diagnosing CMV

    • An unborn baby can be diagnosed with CMV using amniocentesis. After birth, a baby can be tested for the virus in the same way adults can: by blood, urine, saliva or tissue samples. Pregnant women can also be tested in the same manner. If a mother tests positive for CMV, then her unborn child is at risk for congenital CMV because he may be born with the infection. Screening a mother or a baby is not done routinely.

    Treatment

    • CMV rarely needs treatment. Any pain or fever associated with the virus can be treated with pain-relieving or fever-reducing medications. Seek medical treatment if your baby has a fever above 100 degrees F. If a baby with a weakened immune system experiences illness associated with CMV, then the symptoms may worsen. These elevated signs of CMV may require treatment specific to the symptom or antiviral medication. Some newborns may catch pneumonia. Pregnant mothers may receive treatment in extreme cases.

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