Cytomegalovirus Infection Health Article

Treatment

Ganciclovir and foscarnet are antiviral medications that have been used to treat patients with weak immune systems who develop a serious illness from CMV (including retinitis). As of 1998, research was still being done to try to find useful drugs to treat newborn babies suffering from congenital infection with CMV. Antiviral drugs are not used to treat CMV infection in otherwise healthy patients because the drugs have significant side effects that outweigh their benefits. In 2003, researchers in Europe announced a new compound that appeared to be highly effective against CMV infections. The new drug acted earlier in the viral replication of the infection and showed promise; however, clinical trials were continuing.

Prognosis

Prognosis in healthy people with CMV infection is excellent. About 0.1 percent of all newborn babies have serious damage from CMV infection occurring while they were developing in the uterus. About 50 percent of all transplant patients develop severe illnesses due to reactivation of dormant CMV infection. These illnesses have a high rate of serious complications and death.

Prevention

Prevention of CMV infection in the normal, healthy person involves good hand washing. Blood products can be screened or treated to insure that they do not contain CMV. In 2003, a new high-dose prophylactic (preventive) treatment was being tested to reduce CMV risk in stem cell transplant recipients.

BOOKS

"Cytomegalovirus Infection." In Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. Edited by Steven G. Gabbe. London: Churchill Livingstone, 2002.

Pass, Robert F. "Cytomegalovirus." In Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 2nd ed. Edited by Sarah S. Long et al. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier, 2003.

Stagno, Sergio. "Cytomegalovirus." In Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Edited by Richard E. Behrman et al. Philadelphia: Saunders, 2004.

PERIODICALS

Fowler, Karen B., Sergio Stagno, and Robert F. Pass. "Maternal Immunity and Prevention of Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection." Journal of the American Medical Association (February 26, 2003): 1008.

"High-Dose Acyclovir May Reduce Cytomegalovirus Infection Risk." Virus Weekly (July 15, 2003): 16.

"Novel Compound Highly Effective Against Cytomegalovirus Infection." AIDS Weekly (November 25, 2003): 17.

ORGANIZATIONS

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 1600 Clifton Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30333. Web site: <www.cdc.gov>.

March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. 1275 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, NY 10605. Web site: <www.modimes.org>.

Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, MD Teresa G. Odle