In the United States, nearly one in three children are already infected with CMV by age five. Over half of adults have been infected with CMV by age 40.
Cytomegalovirus
General Information
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus for people of all ages; however, a healthy person’s immune system usually keeps the virus from causing illness.
Once CMV is in a person’s body, it stays there for life and can reactivate. A person can also be re-infected with a different strain of the virus. Most people with CMV infection have no symptoms and aren’t aware that they have been infected.
Currently, there is no vaccine available to prevent congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Symptoms
People with weakened immune systems who get CMV can have more serious symptoms affecting the eyes, lungs, liver, esophagus, stomach, and intestines.
Babies born with CMV can have brain, liver, spleen, lung, and growth problems. The most common long-term health problem in babies born with congenital CMV infection is hearing loss, which may be detected soon after birth or may develop later in childhood.
Epidemiology
CMV infects ~60% of adults in developed countries and more than 90% in developing countries.
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