title: Prevention of maternal and congenital cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important cause of hearing impairment, mental retardation, and cerebral palsy. Principal sources of infection during pregnancy are young children and intimate contacts. Prevention of maternal and congenital CMV infection depends on counseling women regarding the sources of infection and hygienic measures that might prevent infection. There is currently insufficient evidence to support use of antiviral treatment or passive immunization for postexposure prophylaxis of pregnant women or as a maternal treatment aimed at preventing fetal infection. Vaccines for CMV are under development but it will be a number of years before one is licensed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women and Infants Hospital/Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Brenna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Pass
mesh_terms: D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000517:prevention & control; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D014611:Vaccination; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis; D014775:Virus Activation
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G