What Is Cytomegalovirus?
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a type of virus found throughout the world and is directly related to the virus that causes chickenpox and infectious mononucleosis. This pathology can be spread through body fluids and, in most cases, people do not know that they are infected. In pregnant women, this virus can be transmitted to the baby.
Causes of cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus can be spread through body fluids such as blood, saliva, urine, semen, and breast milk. There is currently no cure, however treatments can be effective in helping to treat newborns and people with weak immune systems.
As for babies, in most cases they appear to be healthy at birth, but they begin to present symptoms over time, they can even appear in months or years. This is directly related to certain pathologies that occur, in some cases due to the existence of the virus.
Cytomegalovirus symptoms
Acquired cytomegalovirus infection generally has an asymptomatic course. This is because most of these infections result from a reactivation of the virus in the mother, so the baby is born with protective antibodies. A baby who is infected with cytomegalovirus can present the following pathologies:
Pneumonitis
This term refers to inflammation of the lung tissue, which is why pneumonia is considered a type of pneumonitis because the infection causes inflammation. However, doctors often refer to pneumonitis as the non-infectious causes of lung inflammation.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. This condition can appear suddenly or progress to fibrosis. In the case of hepatitis A and B, they can generally be caused by ingesting contaminated food or water. On the other hand, hepatitis B, C and D, are produced by contact with infected body fluids.
Enteritis
Enteritis is an acute or chronic inflammation that takes place in the small intestine. Generally, the most common cause is infectious (bacterial, viral, or parasitic). It can also be of ischemic origin, due to radiation (radical enteritis).
Lymphadenopathy
This is usually the least frequent pathology that can occur to determine the contagion of cytomegalovirus. Lymphadenopathy is the term used to describe swollen lymph nodes.
Cytomegalovirus diagnosis
Detection of cytomegalovirus DNA by PCR amplification has been shown to be sensitive for the identification of cytomegalovirus in a variety of biological samples such as urine, saliva, serum, blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), biopsy material, feces, or bronchoalveolar lavage.
The detection of cytomegalovirus in urine in the first two weeks of life allows the diagnosis of congenital infection to be made, since this is the minimum time for the virus to be detected after transmission during delivery. To make a safety diagnosis of acquired infection, we must have a negative urine culture or PCR in the first two weeks of life and a subsequent positive determination.
Treatment
As a treatment, the doctor will prescribe effective antiviral drugs. The most recommended has been intravenous ganciclovir at a dose of 12 mg / kg / day in 2 doses for at least 2 weeks. As recommended by specialists A. Alarcón Allen and F. Baquero-Artigao, from the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, treatment should be contraindicated or suspended if the neutrophil count is less than 500 / mm3, at least temporarily until recovery spontaneously or by treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.
recommendations
The Spanish Association of Pediatrics recommends some prevention guidelines through the research “ Review and recommendations on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of postnatal infection by cytomegalovirus “.
- Freezing breast milk reduces the risk of transmission.
- Pasteurization of human milk to eliminate cytomegalovirus is not recommended.
- Proper hand hygiene reduces the risk of horizontal transmission of cytomegalovirus.
- The duration of treatment should be two weeks, evaluating the clinical response.
- For newborns, it is preferable to do a saliva or urine test.
It is essential that when confirming that the baby suffers from this virus, the parents follow all the recommendations and treatments indicated by the family doctor.
