Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a viral infection caused by the virus of the same name, which is part of herpes virus family. These viruses are able to remain dormant for long periods (even throughout life) in the host organism. The virus can spread to all body fluids, in both men and women, and can therefore infect urine, saliva, tears, sperm, vaginal secretions and even breast milk.

CMV infection is usually contracted in early childhood. For many people there are no consequences. In others there are symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness and hepatitis. The most serious forms are those affecting immunosuppressed subjects (patients on dialysis, transplant patients, patients infected by AIDS or cancer patients), where CMV infection is one of the major causes of serious illness (retinitis, pneumonia, gastrointestinal disease, etc.) and mortality.

Adolescents and adults can transmit CMV primarily through kissing and sexual intercourse, but also through blood transfusions or by handling infected fluids. The virus can be transmitted to the fetus during all 9 months of pregnancy or the infant during childbirth. In these cases, this represents a serious infection that can cause serious harm especially during the first months of gestation. For those planning a pregnancy, it is important to take into account that the initial CMV infection can occur only once in life. Therefore, if you have already contracted it in the past, the antibodies are already present in the blood of the future mother, and thus she is protected in case of further contact with the virus. However, in the case that the infection has not been contracted prior to becoming pregnant, the gynecologist will repeat the CMV test several times throughout the pregnancy in order to monitor its possible presence from the earliest stages. This makes it possible to treat an infection with specific treatment, thus protecting the future mother, the fetus and the newborn.

There is currently no treatment for CMV infection in healthy people. Immunosuppressed patients are treated with specific antiviral-based treatments. Scientists are still trying to create a vaccine.