Health Encyclopedia

Congenital cytomegalovirus

Definition

Congenital cytomegalovirus is a group of symptoms that occur when an infant is infected with the cytomegalovirus (CMV) before birth.

Alternative Names

CMV - congenital; Congenital CMV

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Congenital cytomegalovirus occurs when an infected mother passes CMV to the fetus through the placenta. The mother's illness may not have symptoms, so she may be unaware that she has CMV.

Symptoms

Most congenitally infected children do not have symptoms. Only about 1 out of 10 infants congenitally infected with CMV have these symptoms:

Inflammation of the retina
Jaundice
Large spleen and liver
Low birth weight
Mineral deposits in the brain
Rash at birth (petechiae)
Seizures
Small head size (microcephaly)

Signs and tests

During the exam, the health care provider may find:

Abnormal breath sounds indicating pneumonia
Enlarged liver
Enlarged spleen
Psychomotor retardation

Tests include:

Antibody titer against CMV for both the mother and infant
Bilirubin level and blood tests for liver function
CBC
CT scan or ultrasound of the head
Fundoscopy
TORCH screen
Urine culture for CMV virus in the first 2-3 weeks of life
X-ray of the chest

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for congenital CMV. Treatments, such as physical therapy and appropriate education for children with psychomotor retardation, focus on specific problems.

Experimental treatment with the drug ganciclovir may reduce hearing loss later in the child's life.

Expectations (prognosis)

Between 45 - 90% of infants who have symptoms of their infection at birth will have neurologic abnormalities later in life. Only about 15% of infants without symptoms will have these problems.

Complications

Psychomotor retardation
Deafness

Calling your health care provider

Have your baby checked right away if he or she was not examined by a health care provider shortly after birth and you suspect that the head is small or you notice other symptoms of congenital CMV.

If your baby has congenital CMV, it is important to follow the health care provider's recommendations for well-baby examinations. That way, any growth and development problems can be identified early, and treated promptly.

Prevention

Cytomegalovirus is almost everywhere in the environment, and is almost impossible to avoid.

Review Date:11/12/2007
Reviewed By:Rachel A. Lewis, M.D., F.A.A.P., Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

ADAM Quality A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) and this website do not claim the information on, or referred to by, this site is error free. This site may include links to websites of other government agencies or private groups. Our Agency and this website do not control such sites and are not responsible for their content. Reference to or links to any other group, product, service, or information does not mean our Agency or this website approves of that group, product, service, or information.

Additionally, while health information provided through this website may be a valuable resource for the public, it is not designed to offer medical advice. Talk with your doctor about medical care questions you may have.