Herpes Doctor

Cytomegalovirus is also known as Human Herpes virus 5, HCMV or CMV. It is a Beta Herpes virus and is quite common. By the age of 40 most people have Cytomegalovirus in their body usually without knowing it.

Cytomegalovirus is mostly without symptoms and quite harmless in healthy people. It spreads via bodily fluids such as urine, saliva, blood, tears, semen and breast milk. It is quite easy to avoid catching it by avoiding contact with these fluids but at the same time it is of course quite difficult to avoid intimate contact with other people. Soap and water will remove virus from your hands and is the best advice for preventing Cytomegalovirus, although trying to avoid catching Cytomegalovirus is not usually recommended as it is quite harmelss in most people.

Healthy people will rarely experience any symptoms or complications of Cytomegalovirus. Some teenagers will get a Mononucleosis-like illness caused by Cytomegalovirus which is quite harmless. When children and babies get Cytomegalovirus it is normally without symptoms.

Pregnant women run a small risk if they catch Cytomegalovirus in pregnancy. Healthy pregnant women are not at risk themselves for diseases caused by Cytomegalovirus, but the baby risks being born with Cytomegalovirus which can cause brain damage, hearing loss, visual impairment, or diminished motor capabilities. 1 to 3% of pregnant women do not already have Cytmomegalovirus and 1 to 3% of thesem will catch Cytomegalovirus and 45% of the babies from these pregnancies will have damages related to Cytomegalovirus. Although it is serious, it is very are and not something pregnant women should worry about. If you are pregnant and work in the health and care sector you should mention this to your doctor as there is a test available to determine if you already have Cytomegalovirus.

If a baby gets Cytomegalovirus after birth, there are usually no complications.

Immunocompromised patients, for example AIDS patients and organ transplant patients may experience complications from Cytomegalovirus including Hepatitis. As with pregnant women it is only patients who don't already have Cytomegalovirus, so again the risk is very small as most people already have it.

There is no cure for Cytomegalovirus but complications may be treated with antiviral medications.

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