Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common cause of congenital infection (TORCH) and non-hereditary deafness.
There is no vaccine.
Transmission is by contact with body fluids – saliva, urine, genital secretions
Self-limiting primary infection consists of:
- mild hepatitis
- atypical lymphadenitis
- non-specific symptoms
The virus then becomes latent but reactivated periodically during episodes of mild immunosuppression such as concurrent infection, pregnancy, or stress, although apart from the severely immunocompromised, this reactivation remains asymptomatic.
Primary maternal infection occurs in ∼ 1 / 300 pregnancies in Australia which is the cause of 40% of foetal infections (1 in 1,000 infants).
Foetal damage is most likely early in pregnancy. Most congenitally infected infants are apparently normal at birth but long-term sequelae, such as deafness and mild intellectual impairment may present later in up to 40%.
Expect 10-15% infant involvement of mother’s with primary infection during pregnancy.
Foetal CMV
symptomatic multisystem disease
