The most common virus that you've never heard of...
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 in the world:
More than 50% of Americans contract it by age 40, and 1 out of 3 children has had it by age 5. Typically it is usually harmless, with no signs of illness or symptoms and no long-term effect..
…EXCEPT for babies who become infected before they are born, known as 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗠𝗩, which affects around 𝟭 𝗶𝗻 𝟭𝟱𝟬 newborns.
Research has found 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗠𝗩 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘀, and of survivors of congenital CMV, 1 in 7 will develop hearing loss over time.
The CMV virus is only harmful to pregnancy when it is active, for example:
- when you catch it for the first time
- if it is reactivated (because you have a weakened immune system)
- if you have been infected again by a different strain of CMV
CMV is passed through bodily fluids such as saliva and urine.
The main way a pregnant woman catches CMV is typically from caring for young children.
𝙎𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤?
Prevention steps are 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗱𝘀/𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀: Don’t share food, utensils, drinks, or straws with others; kiss your kids on the forehead or cheek to avoid saliva; and 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 frequently (for example, after changing diapers, wiping a little’s nose/mouth, or handling their toys and food).
𝗘𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆, so ask your doctor to do a 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 to check your status before becoming pregnant or as soon as you find out you are. This will help your doctor know whether you are at risk for a primary infection or if a reactivation occurs, what your IgG/IgM levels are.
There are promising emerging interventions during pregnancy or after birth to help monitor and treat babies who contract congenital CMV – but only if you know an infection has occurred!
Some babies with congenital CMV infection have signs at birth.
These signs include:
𝐑𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐉𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐞 (𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬)
𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐲 (𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝)
𝐋𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭
𝐇𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐲 (𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐞𝐧) 𝐒𝐞𝐢𝐳𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬
𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬 (𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐞𝐲𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚)
1 in 5 children born with cCMV will have long term health problems such a Hearing and vision loss, motor impairment, cerebral palsy, and developmental delay.
Talk about CMV with your friends and family.
Share posts about prevention and detection.
Advocate alongside families who are trying to make a change.
Together, we can #StopCMV