Newborn babies who are born with the congenital form of cytomegalovirus or CMV may develop a variety of serious conditions including hearing or vision loss and may have some degree of mental retardation. A study recently released by the National Institutes of Health shows that one standard method of testing newborns for CMV is not an effective screening tool.
CMV is a common virus that can affect people at any age. In the United States, about half of all pregnant women have never had any form of CMV which means their bodies are not producing antibodies to fight the infection. Between one and four percent of these women catch the virus for the first time while they are pregnant. And about a third of these women will pass the infection to their unborn babies. Here are some other statistics about CMV in newborns:
• Approximately 30,000 babies are born with CMV (congenital CMV)
• Approximately one in 150 babies are born with congenital CMV
• Approximately one in 750 children develop permanent disabilities from congenital CMV
• Approximately 8,000 children each year have permanent disabilities from congenital CMV
There is a blood test available for pregnant women to tell if the antibodies to fight cytomegalovirus are in her blood. If the antibodies are there, she already has the infection. But the test cannot show how long ago she caught the virus. Babies are at the highest risk of being born with CMV if their mothers catch the virus while they are pregnant or just before they become pregnant. CMV is transferred by contact with bodily fluids. For pregnant women, the most common sources of contact with the virus are through sex and through contact with the urine or saliva of very young children.
Here are tips to help limit the risk of getting infected if you are pregnant:
• Wash hands often – Use soap and water and wash for at least 15 seconds, especially after changing diapers or after touching spit or mucus from a young child.
• Do not share – Avoid drinking out of the same container or sharing food or utensils with young children.
• Kiss carefully – Give kisses to young children on the forehead or cheek, rather than on the lips or mouth.
• Practice safe sex – Limit the number of sexual partners and always practice safe sex while you are pregnant.
Newborns are typically tested for CMV along with a variety of other metabolic and genetic conditions when they are born in a hospital. Doctors use a heel-stick to collect a small amount of blood from the baby for testing. But recent studies show the heel-stick method is not effective in testing newborns for CMV. One study demonstrated that over half of CMV cases were missed using this test. This number is significant because of the 30,000 infants born with CMV up to 15 percent or 4,500 babies are at risk for eventually losing their hearing or vision.
Approximately 10 percent of babies who are born with CMV show immediate symptoms of the virus, including:
• Hearing loss
• Vision loss
• Mental disabilities
• ADHD / Autism
• Poor coordination
• Cerebral palsy
• Seizures
• Death
Many babies born with CMV have no symptoms at birth, but can develop hearing and vision loss as well as other serious complications in the following months or years. Knowing that a child has congenital CMV gives doctors the chance to monitor the baby for future problems and to take steps to slow down the progression of symptoms. Researchers are now considering whether a saliva test could be more effective in detecting congenital CMV in infants.
Sources:
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Centers for Disease Control & Protection: About CMV
Centers for Disease Control & Protection: Learn About Cytomegalovirus
Stop CMV