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Review
. 2017 Feb 14:6:138.
doi: 10.12688/f1000research.10276.1. eCollection 2017.

Cytomegalovirus in pregnancy and the neonate

Vincent C Emery  1 , Tiziana Lazzarotto  2
Affiliations
Review

Cytomegalovirus in pregnancy and the neonate

Vincent C Emery et al. F1000Res. .

Abstract

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains a leading cause of disability in children. Understanding the pathogenesis of infection from the mother via the placenta to the neonate is crucial if we are to produce new interventions and provide supportive mechanisms to improve the outcome of congenitally infected children. In recent years, some major goals have been achieved, including the diagnosis of primary maternal CMV infection in pregnant women by using the anti-CMV IgG avidity test and the diagnosis and prognosis of foetal CMV infection by using polymerase chain reaction real-time tests to detect and quantify the virus in amniotic fluid. This review summarises recent advances in our understanding and highlights where challenges remain, especially in vaccine development and anti-viral therapy of the pregnant woman and the neonate. Currently, no therapeutic options during pregnancy are available except those undergoing clinical trials, whereas valganciclovir treatment is recommended for congenitally infected neonates with moderately to severely symptomatic disease.

Keywords: antiviral therapy; cytomegalovirus; pathogenesis; pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.No competing interests were disclosed.No competing interests were disclosed.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Global cytomegalovirus (CMV) seroprevalence levels and incidence of congenital CMV infection.
Worldwide CMV seroprevalence rates among women of reproductive age and birth prevalence of congenital CMV infection (reproduced from 1). CMV seroprevalence rates are shown in different shades of colour, and congenital CMV birth prevalence rates are shown by the circles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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