Did you know that you probably have a virus that is incredibly dangerous? No, not RSV or the flu. something much more common. Cytomegalovirus or CMV.
By the time you reach age 40, it is thought that 90% of people are carriers of the CMV antibody. Your body produces the CMV antibodies after you have come into contact with the virus. It is passed through body fluids like saliva, urine, or blood.
To the average person (meaning not very ill already or immunocompromised) CMV is relatively harmless. At worst, the average person might get a runny nose and most never even know they have contracted the virus. Research on CMV is very scarce due to the commonality and how little it effects the average person. However, to a developing fetus it can be detrimental.
So what is the difference between the ordinary cytomegalovirus (CMV) and congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV)? CMV is one of the few viruses than can cross the placenta. A baby has the chance of being having cCMV if its mother catches the virus DURING pregnancy. The mothers body does not have the antibodies to protect the developing baby. cCMV occurs when the baby is born infected.
IF a mother is infected with the cytomegalovirus during pregnancy, that does not mean her baby will definitely be born with the congenital form of the virus. Depending when in pregnancy you catch the virus, it is only about a 1 in 3 chance that it pass across the placenta. Congenital CMV is diagnosed by testing the blood and urine of a newborn (within the first 48hrs usually). Waiting too long to test can be problematic as you can't confirm that it was an infection acquired after birth.
Congenital CMV is diagnosed by testing the blood and urine of a newborn (within the first 48hrs usually). Waiting too long to test can be problematic as you can't confirm that it was an infection acquired after birth. Newborn bloodspots that are stored can be tested months after for CMV. Babies who test positive will probably not have any issues. Only 20% of babies who test positive at birth are symptomatic.
cCMV kiddos are either asymptomatic or symptomatic. Asymptomatic babies show NO symptoms. Symptomatic babies show symptoms. Pretty simple! You can be asymptomatic at birth and develop symptoms later on.
Symptoms vary from mild to severe. The image below is NOT all inclusive. There are many symptoms not included in this list. Every case is unique, which is what makes CMV so difficult.
One of the most textbook symptoms of cCMV is hearing loss. 75% of the symptomatic babies have hearing loss or will develop it. (remember that only 20% are symptomatic). Hearing loss from the virus can occur at anytime but most commonly appears in the first 5 years. Congential CMV is one of the leading causes of childhood hearing loss.
BIG FACTS
1. More children will have disabilities due to congenital CMV than other, well-known infections and syndromes, including Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Spina Bifida, and Pediatric HIV/AIDS.
2. More than 91% of pregnant women do NOT know about CMV and its dangers during pregnancy.
3. Only 44% of OB/GYNs say that they regularly tell their patients how they can prevent getting CMV.
4. Pregnant women are NOT routinely screened for their CMV status.
5. 1 and 200 babies are born with cCMV.
Want to know more about CMV? Check out these resources. https://www.nationalcmv.org/resources/educational-downloads
http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/cytomegalovirus-infection/
https://www.cdc.gov/cmv/index.html
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