Health Beat: Take steps to protect your baby from cytomegalovirus

While many people have never heard of it, cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is a common virus that infects people of all ages.

Most CMV infections are "silent," which means the majority of people infected with CMV have no symptoms. However, women who are infected can transmit CMV to their fetuses, causing a congenital CMV infection. A congenital infection is one that is transmitted from mother to baby during the pregnancy. Congenital CMV infection can cause hearing loss, seizures and developmental disabilities.

Pregnancy and CMV

For pregnant women, the most common exposures to CMV are through contact with the saliva and urine of young children or through sexual contact. Young children can transmit CMV for months after they first become infected.

However, CMV does not spread easily. One in five parents of children who have active CMV infections become infected with CMV over the course of a year.

CMV can harm babies

In the United States, more than 5,000 children suffer illness and permanent disabilities caused by congenital CMV infection every year, although many infants -- about 80 of 100 -- with congenital CMV infection never develop symptoms or disabilities from the infection. Children with congenital CMV infection are more likely to have permanent disabilities if they had symptoms of CMV infection at birth.

However, some children with congenital CMV infection who appear healthy at birth can develop hearing or vision loss over time.

People who are infected with CMV can transmit the virus from their body fluids, such as urine, saliva, blood, breast milk and semen. The virus is generally passed from infected people to others through direct contact with body fluids.

CMV can be sexually transmitted, or it can spread from mother to fetus through the placenta. It also can be spread through transplanted organs and blood transfusions.

Reduce your CMV risk

Pregnant women can take steps to reduce their risk of exposure to CMV and so reduce the risk of CMV infection of their fetus.

Because CMV infection in healthy people is common and typically causes no symptoms, efforts to prevent transmission are not necessary for most groups of people.

To avoid exposure to children's bodily fluids that might contain CMV, do the following:

* Wash your hands often with soap and water for 15-20 seconds, especially after: changing diapers, feeding a young child, wiping a young child's nose or drool, or handling children's toys

* Do not share food, drinks or eating utensils used by young children

* Do not share a toothbrush with a young child

* Avoid contact with saliva when kissing a child

* Do not put a child's pacifier in your mouth