Cmv virus how do you get it

Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.

The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Home Infections. Cytomegalovirus CMV. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Cytomegalovirus CMV is a member of the herpes family. Related viruses include Epstein-Barr causes glandular fever , varicella-zoster causes chicken pox and herpes simplex causes cold sores.

This viral infection can be spread through coughing, contact with blood, urine or faeces, or via the mucous membranes, such as the mouth and genitals. In Australia, about 50 per cent of young adults have been infected. In healthy people, CMV infection causes nothing more than a flu-like illness that lasts a few days. In certain people, however, including transplant patients and pregnant women, the effects can be much more serious.

Many organs can be targeted CMV can infect virtually any organ of the human body. Occasionally, CMV can cause mononucleosis or hepatitis liver problem. 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.

People with CMV may pass the virus in body fluids, such as saliva, urine, blood, tears, semen, and breast milk. CMV is spread from an infected person in the following ways:. Blood tests can be used to diagnose CMV infection in adults who have symptoms. However, blood is not the best fluid to test newborns with suspected CMV infection.

Tests of saliva or urine are preferred for newborns. Healthy people who are infected with CMV usually do not require medical treatment. It is possible for any strain of CMV to reactivate or act like a new infection. This type of infection is a recurrent infection and may occur at any time, but especially when the immune system becomes altered or weakened. When reactivation occurs, CMV antibody levels may increase and active CMV will be present in bodily fluids viral shedding.

If you have had CMV before then you will be immune to that strain of the virus. However, there are lots of different strains of CMV and you will not have natural protection against all of these. Skip to main content. Become a member Join us now Fundraisers Our fantastic fundraisers! Donate to us All the ways to donate Become a supporter We need you!

Who is at risk of CMV? Is congenital CMV a rare condition? CMV is the most common infection passed from mother to unborn baby. The main ways of catching CMV are: Person-to-person contact - CMV is spread from one person to another by close and prolonged contact with bodily fluids such as urine, saliva, blood, faeces, tears, breast milk, semen and cervical secretions.

You can catch CMV by kissing, sexual intercourse, sharing eating and drinking utensils, and sharing mouthed toys. You cannot catch CMV by merely being in the same room with someone who is infected. It is rare for full-term babies who catch CMV in this way to have problems.

However, premature babies or very low birth weight babies can be affected. Transplants - CMV may be spread to those receiving organ and bone marrow transplants. The virus can be a particular risk to these patients as their immune system is compromised or weakened.

However, donor blood is routinely treated in the UK to reduce these risks and CMV negative blood is recommended for some at-risk groups.