Cytomegalovirus is a DNA virus that belongs to the herpes virus group.
After primary infection it persists in a latent form in the body and can reactivate when defense systems weaken.
CMV infection is known as the most common congenital viralinfection.
The main risk factor is primary infection in pregnancy with one-third of fetuses infected, about 10% of whom then manifest connatal CMV disease.
In case of postnatal infection, the disease mainly occurs in the following risk situations:
- decreased defenses related to malignant conditions e.g., leukemias, Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hogdkin’s lymphomas, AIDS, and immunosuppression in case of organ transplantation.
It can be transmitted from mother to fetus. In developing countries more than 90 percent of the population is infected, in Europe about 50 percent, and in AIDS risk groups 90 percent of individuals test positive for the presence of specific antibodies.
All ages with peaks less than three months after infection in the 16- to 40-year-old and 40- to 75-year-old age groups in both males and females.
