Cytomegalovirus factsheet

Introduction

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus in the herpes family. It is related to other herpes viruses like:

herpes simplex I and II – also known as herpes, causing sores on the mouth, penis, and vulva
varicella-zoster virus – also known as chickenpox or shingles
Epstein-Barr – also known as glandular fever.

CMV can be spread through contact with:

fluid droplets from coughing and sneezing
blood
urine and poo
mucous membranes - the wet, inside lining of some body parts, like the mouth, vagina, anus, and nostrils.

Once a person has had CMV, they have the virus for the rest of their life. The virus stays inactive inside the body and can sometimes be reactivated in the future.

Babies and children are especially at risk of severe CMV symptoms if they are:

having treatment that weakens the immune system
have cancer
have HIV.

Some babies are born with CMV when the virus is passed on from their mothers during pregnancy and birth. This is called congenital CMV.

Holding and cuddling a baby who has CMV will not increase your risk of catching it.

Signs and symptoms

CMV causes mild symptoms like a cold or flu in children who are otherwise healthy.

These can include:

sore throat
cough
rash
fever
swelling of the glands around the neck
inflammation of the liver.

More severe symptoms of CMV can affect the:

lungs
eyes
brain
gut.

Some children will not have any symptoms.

Babies born with severe CMV are at risk of vision and hearing loss and will need regular checks as they grow.

Diagnosis

Your local doctor can diagnose CMV based on:

signs and symptoms
a physical check
blood tests
urine tests
a swab of the mouth or nose.

CMV during pregnancy

Because CMV is common, it is not a standard test during pregnancy. It may be recommended during pregnancy for people who have:

have regular contact with young children, like childcare workers or teachers
symptoms of a new CMV infection
have another child who is attending daycare.

Babies born to mothers who develop a CMV infection during pregnancy should be screened for congenital CMV infection.

CMV in newborn babies

Newborn babies can get CMV when a mother:

has caught the CMV virus while pregnant
did not know they had CMV because they had no symptoms
had their previous CMV infection reactivate during pregnancy
breastfeeds with an active CMV virus.

Your baby’s doctor can discuss the risks and benefits of breastfeeding with a CMV infection and help you make a feeding plan.

Treatment

CMV infection is usually treated by managing symptoms with:

rest
fluids
over the counter pain relief like ibuprofen or paracetamol for fevers.

Most children will get better on their own.

Children or babies who have severe CMV symptoms may need treatment in hospital.

Management

Preventing congenital CMV

Because CMV is so common, almost half of Australian women will have had the virus by the time they become pregnant.

The only way to protect an unborn baby from getting congenital CMV is to lower the risk of catching the virus. You can lower the risk of catching CMV by:

not changing the nappies of other people’s babies
always washing your hands after caring for children, including after nappy changes and when wiping away snot and saliva
not kissing children on the lips
not sharing cups and cutlery with other people.

Preventing CMV in babies

Babies and children can spread CMV quickly as their parents and carers have constant contact with body fluids that carry a large amount of the virus. CMV can also spread quickly in places like childcare centres, where adults and children have close contact with body fluids like urine and poo.

Anyone who has not had CMV before can catch it if they touch fluids from a baby who has CMV. This can happen when you:

kiss a baby on the lips
share cups and cutlery
don’t wash your hands after changing a nappy.

The amount of virus in a child’s body fluids will go down as they get older.

To prevent CMV spread, practice good hygiene and teach children to do the same

Good hygiene habits include:

washing hands after going to the toilet
washing hands after touching body fluids from other people, like saliva, urine, and poo
not kissing children on the lips
not sharing cups and cutlery with other people.

Preventing CMV in babies and children