Abstract

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important cause of hearing impairment, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy. Principal sources of infection during pregnancy are young children and intimate contacts. Prevention of maternal and congenital CMV infection depends on counseling women regarding the sources of infection and hygienic measures that might prevent infection. There is currently insufficient evidence to support use of antiviral treatment or passive immunization for postexposure prophylaxis of pregnant women or as a maternal treatment aimed at preventing fetal infection. Vaccines for CMV are under development but it will be a number of years before one is licensed.

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Publisher Full Text

Authors

Johnson J, Anderson B, Pass RF

Institution

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants Hospital/Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

Source

Clinical obstetrics and gynecology 55:2 2012 Jun pg 521-30

MeSH

Antibodies
Antiviral Agents
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus Infections
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin G
Infant, Newborn
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
Maternal Exposure
Milk, Human
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious
Prenatal Diagnosis
Vaccination
Viremia
Virus Activation

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

22510635