The most serious disease is seen in a small percentage of babies infected before birth, who can experience small birth weights, lethargy, fitting, yellowing of the skin jaundice , rash and problems with brain, liver and spleen.
This can result in lasting problems such as hearing loss, vision loss, small head size, cerebral palsy, developmental delay or intellectual disability. In rare cases infection in babies may be fatal. Treatment for mild CMV infections is not usually required apart from bed rest and drinking plenty of fluids. For more serious CMV illness, treatment is most often in the form of antiviral drugs.
Treatment may also be needed for complications such as pneumonia. Humans are the only source of CMV. The risk of getting CMV through casual contact is very small. The virus is generally passed from infected people to others through direct contact with body fluids that carry the virus, such as urine, saliva, vaginal secretions, semen and breast milk. CMV can be shed in saliva and urine on and off for many months, sometimes years.
Adults are usually infectious for less time than babies. People with weakened immune systems may experience a recurrence of CMV or may be infected with a new strain of the virus. Pregnant women particularly, should observe strict hygiene practices to avoid contact with infectious fluids—especially around young children.
An infant whose mother first became infected with CMV during pregnancy is more likely to experience complications. Complications for the baby can include:. Careful hygiene is the best prevention against CMV. You can take these precautions:.
If you have weakened immunity, you may benefit from taking antiviral medication to prevent CMV disease. Experimental vaccines are being tested for women of childbearing age. These vaccines may be useful in preventing CMV infection in mothers and infants, and reducing the chance that babies born to women who are infected while pregnant will develop disabilities.
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This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Cytomegalovirus CMV is a common virus. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Bennett JE, et al. Cytomegalovirus CMV. Elsevier; Paracetamol to treat fever and discomfort may also be beneficial. As CMV is caused by a virus, antibiotics will be of no benefit in combating it.
In cases of serious CMV infections in people with weakened immune systems, antiviral medications may be administered. These medications, such as ganciclovir and foscarnet, are usually given as an infusion into the blood stream but can also be given in tablet form.
Antiviral medications can reduce the length of illness and its severity but do not cure CMV. The use of these medications to treat congenital CMV infections is still being researched.
Antiviral therapy has been shown to improve hearing and some development outcomes in infants with symptoms of CMV. Ensuring that hands are washed often with soap and warm water and are thoroughly dried will help prevent the spread of CMV. Not sharing food, eating utensils, and drinking glasses, and avoiding close contact with anyone who has the infection will also help to prevent spreading the virus.
This is especially important for pregnant women who work with infants and children. Vaccines against CMV are being researched but, at present, no vaccine is available. KidsHealth Philadelphia: The Nemours Foundation, Inc. Congenital cytomegalovirus infection: advances and challenges in diagnosis, prevention and treatment.
Ital J Pediatr. Cytomegalovirus infection Web Page. Cytomegalovirus CMV. What is cytomegalovirus CMV? Once you have the virus, it stays in your body for the rest of your life. Your immune system usually controls the virus and most people do not realise they have it. Some people get flu-like symptoms the first time they get CMV, including: a high temperature aching muscles tiredness skin rash feeling sick sore throat swollen glands If you do have symptoms, they usually get better without treatment within about 3 weeks.
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