Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Cytomegalovirus infections (CMV)

The virus can be spread by sexual contact because it is found in semen and cervical secretions. Kissing and other types of physical contact may also spread the virus. Like other herpes virus infections, CMV infection remains for life. Although the virus usually remains in an inactive state, it can reactivate from time to time.

Symptoms
In healthy adults, CMV usually produces no symptoms of infection. Occasionally, however, mild symptoms of swollen lymph glands, fever, and fatigue may occur. These symptoms may be similar to those of infectious mononucleosis (commonly called mono).

Diagnosis
There is a test commonly used to detect levels of antibodies (disease-fighting proteins of the immune system) in the blood. A number of other blood tests can suggest a diagnosis of CMV infection, but no blood test can reliably diagnose it.

Although CMV can be isolated from urine or other body fluids, it may be excreted months or years after an infection; therefore, isolation of the virus from these fluids is not a reliable method of diagnosing recent infection.

Complications
Babies born to infected mothers can be infected. Although most infected newborns do not develop symptoms, CMV is the leading cause of congenital infection in the United States. An estimated 6,000 babies each year develop life-threatening complications of congenital CMV infection at birth or suffer serious consequences later in life, including mental retardation, blindness, deafness, or epilepsy. Congenital CMV is the most common cause of progressive deafness in children.

CMV can be life-threatening for persons with suppressed immune systems, including those fighting cancer or AIDS, as well as transplant recipients. Infection in the retina, CMV retinitis, is a severe complication that may lead to blindness.

Treatment
There are new antiviral medications that have been approved only for patients with severe infection, like CMV retinitis.

Prevention
There is little you can do to avoid CMV infection at some time in your life – it is that common. In terms of sexual transmission, using a male condom may reduce risk but it will not eliminate it. Even saliva contact like kissing is a possible route of exposure.

Some experts believe that primary or first-time exposure during pregnancy is a major cause of CMV infection in newborns. Infants infected before or just after birth are likely to be shedding CMV in saliva and urine, which can infect others. Hand washing and proper handling of diapers may reduce risk. Scientists are working to develop a vaccine and other methods to provide immunity to CMV and offer protection against severe disease.

This information is excerpted from public documents available at
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

To learn more about their organization, click here.