Search Results (8)

Pregnancy-related cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may have negative consequences on the developing fetus and child. In Romania, screening for CMV infection is included in the first prenatal evaluation. We aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence rates in pregnant women who underwent screening over 15 years (May 2008–February 2023). We evaluated 28,012 pregnant women, from whom 23,970 (85.57%) had an index CMV screening, and 4082 had at least two presentations during the same or consecutive pregnancies. A total of 32,290 paired anti-CMV IgM/IgG serological tests were performed. Passed infection with IgG positivity represented 90.15% (29,110) of all tests, corresponding to 28,649 women (88.72%). The seroprevalence increased with women’s age, was more frequently associated with rural residence, and decreased in time intervals. A total of 2322 women (9.69%) displaying an IgM/IgG negative pattern were at risk of acquiring the infection during pregnancy. Only 144 out of 2342 (6.14%) women at risk presented twice during the same pregnancy, of which 12 women (0.51%) displayed a pattern of primary infection. Our population from Northwest Romania shows a high rate of immunization against CMV infection and a low risk of primary infection. We found a low adherence to retesting in cases of probable primary CMV infections, which highlights the need for infection mitigation by hygiene measures and improvement of the existing protocols. Full article

Congenital CMV (cCMV) is the leading cause of hearing loss and neurodevelopmental disabilities in children, affecting 15–18% of births in the United States (U.S.). Despite its strong presence, the lack of routine prenatal screening limits its detection and prevention, especially in low-resource communities. The aim of this scoping review is to describe the scope of the CMV interventions and the policies on CMV screening in the United States, identify successful strategies for the implementation of improved CMV screening rates, and make recommendations for future efforts aimed at improving CMV screening in U.S. healthcare settings. The Joanna Briggs Institute recommendations for scoping reviews and the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) York methodology guided the different review steps. These included (1) identifying research questions; (2) searching for relevant studies; (3) selecting studies relevant to the research questions; (4) charting the data; (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting results. A total of six studies were retained for analysis. A common barrier reported across studies was the lack of generalizability of findings due to small sample size. Challenges encountered by patients often centered around awareness, emotional resistance, and cultural norms. Providers also faced significant barriers, particularly related to time constraints, knowledge gaps, and the prioritization of CMV education in prenatal care. Furthermore, a recurrent theme across included studies was the critical role of education in increasing awareness and reducing CMV transmission risks. Findings will contribute to the advancement of CMV prevention through the identification of gaps in education, policy, and practice, thus assuring better health outcomes for mothers and infants. Full article

Rubella Virus, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2), Hepatitis B (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) can cause serious fetal disease. The seropositivity rates of these agents vary among countries and geographic regions. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence rates and diagnostic methods used in studies investigating the seroprevalence of viral pathogens in the TORCH group among pregnant women in Turkey between 2005 and 2024. A systematic search was conducted using electronic databases between January 2005 and January 2024. A total of 60 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Data quality control was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute guideline prevalence studies checklist. Heterogeneity was measured using the I-squared (I²) statistic in the Comprehensive Meta Analysis (CMA) program. The average seropositivity rates for Rubella, CMV, HSV-2, HBV and HCV in Turkey were determined as 91.18%, 94.81%, 35.52%, 1.66% and 0.25%, respectively. When the diagnostic methods were examined, it was determined that ELISA and ECLIA methods were used most frequently. The seropositivity of the agents did not show statistically significant differences according to the year periods, geographical regions and age of the patients (p > 0.05). The highest prevalence rates of Rubella and HSV-2 in pregnant women were reported in the Mediterranean region, the highest prevalence rates of CMV and HCV in the Southeastern Anatolia region and the highest seroprevalence of Anti HBs in the Marmara region. The results of this study support the necessity of increasing public awareness in the control of fetal infection caused by TORCH viral agents, prenatal screening, vaccination for Rubella and HBV and compliance with hygiene conditions for agents such as CMV, HSV-2 and HCV. The results of this study highlight the need to increase public awareness on prenatal screening for the control of fetal infection caused by all TORCH viral agents, vaccination for Rubella and HBV and compliance with hygiene conditions for agents such as CMV, HSV-2 and HCV. Full article

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection represents a major issue worldwide, since it constitutes the most common viral congenital infection, with a prevalence of 0.58% and 1–5% in developed and developing countries, respectively. According to recent studies, prenatal treatment significantly decreases the risk of vertical CMV transmission, and early intervention may even prevent the termination of pregnancy. This study aimed to investigate the level of awareness of CMV among pregnant patients through a semi-systematic review. Methods: We included all of the original articles investigating knowledge and awareness about CMV infection among pregnant women. Our research included the PubMed database. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement, the Covidence system automatically guided us to screen the titles and/or abstracts, and then full-texts, followed by data extraction from the eligible studies. Results: We screened 764 studies altogether, with 13 studies included in this analysis. Knowledge about the existence of CMV infection risk varied between the articles, ranging from 11.4% in a study performed in Ireland to 60% reported in a study on the French population. Studies analyzing the impact of educational interventions on patients’ knowledge about preventive measures reported significant improvement compared to their level of awareness before the intervention. Conclusions: Patients’ awareness and knowledge about CMV seemed to be generally low or very low during the last decade before the development of effective secondary prevention methods. Educational interventions seem to be effective, and therefore their wide use could be of potential benefit. In the era of available secondary prevention of vertical transmission, it is crucial to concentrate the efforts of different stakeholders to increase the awareness of cCMV among pregnant women. Full article

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is a rare hematologic disorder in the pediatric population and most cases are associated with microbiological infection. The pathological process is not completely clear, but some evidence suggests immunological dysregulation triggered by bacterial or viral infections. Based on the thermal range of the pathogenic antibody, AIHA can be divided into warm (WAIHA) and cold (CAIHA) groups. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common viruses reported as a trigger of AIHA. We present an unusual case of AIHA in a 2-month-old infant positive for both the direct antiglobulin test (C3 complement fraction) and CMV–Polymerase chain reaction in blood samples. In this case, the dating of the infection was uncertain, making it impossible to discriminate between congenital flare-up or a primary acute episode, emphasizing the importance of CMV prenatal testing as a screening measure. We adopted multiple therapeutic strategies including steroids (methylprednisolone and prednisone), Intravenous Immunoglobulin, antivirals (ganciclovir and valganciclovir), and red blood cell transfusion. Full article

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy may result in long-term health problems for children with congenital CMV (cCMV). Currently, no prevention or treatment interventions are approved by the Food and Drug Administration for a cCMV indication. Healthcare provider and public awareness is low, and formal clinical practice guidelines and local practice patterns vary. A pilot study of eight cCMV experts was performed using qualitative semi-structured interviews to better understand clinical practice guidelines and patterns in the United States. Results from participant interviews highlighted the need for better prenatal diagnostic techniques, broader neonatal screening opportunities, and more robust evidence supporting intervention strategies. Healthcare provider and public partnerships are essential for advancing cCMV guidelines and improving care delivery. Our results provide a preliminary knowledge base and framework for developing a consensus cCMV research agenda to address evidence gaps that limit the revision of clinical practice guidelines. The changes in clinical practice patterns that may arise as a result of further research have the potential to reduce risk during pregnancy and improve care for children with cCMV infection. Full article

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common cause of intrauterine infection and serological assays are the primary tools for assessing CMV infections during pregnancy. CMV-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies have been used as a diagnostic marker for primary CMV infection in pregnant women, although CMV-IgM has been detected in non-primary CMV infections. IgG avidity testing may aid the distinguishing of primary from non-primary CMV infection; however, there is no standardized assay for detecting this difference. Moreover, when maternal serology shows positive CMV-IgG with negative CMV-IgM findings, vertical transmission probability following primary CMV infection is often excluded. However, symptomatic congenital CMV infections in the context of negative findings for maternal CMV-IgM have been reported recently. The absence of CMV-IgM is recognized in both primary and non-primary CMV infections. Furthermore, maternal non-primary CMV infections during pregnancy may yield a greater proportion of symptomatic congenital CMV infections than previously thought. If universal prenatal screening is performed, ultrasonography for abnormal fetal findings should be conducted regardless of CMV-IgM antibody status. If not universally screened, CMV antibody screening should be performed whenever routine fetal ultrasound reveals abnormal findings. For suspected fetal CMV infection, amniotic fluid or postnatal infant urine CMV-DNA testing is required. Full article

Early diagnosis and treatment of infants with symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may improve neurological outcomes. For this reason, prenatal detection of newborns at high risk for congenital CMV infection is important. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for CMV DNA in the amniotic fluid is the gold standard for the diagnosis of intrauterine CMV infection; however, amniocentesis is an invasive procedure. Recently, we have found that the presence of CMV DNA in the maternal uterine cervical secretion is predictive of the occurrence of congenital CMV infection in CMV immunoglobulin M (IgM)-positive pregnant women. In contrast, we have suggested that maternal serological screening for primary CMV infection using CMV-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), the IgG avidity index, or CMV-specific IgM overlooks a number of newborns with congenital CMV infection. We will review current knowledge of the potential biomarkers for predicting congenital CMV infection. Full article