Many people have this infection without any symptoms and the disease recovers without leaving any sequelae. Almost half of adults over the age of 40 have had the disease. The virus remains in the body of the person who encounters the virus and is silent. For this reason, infection is examined in two groups: primary infection and secondary infection. While encountering it for the first time is more serious, secondary infection caused by the exacerbation of the virus, which remains silent due to low resistance, is less harmful.
Although the disease often does not cause symptoms, some people experience weakness, fever, and lymphoma 2-3 weeks after encountering the virus. It may progress with gland swelling. The disease is caused by a herpes virus and is transmitted through body secretions, urine, sweat, semen, blood and breastfeeding. It does not pass through animals, water or food. It is also contagious through close contact.
It is more common in developed countries than in underdeveloped countries. Babies in the womb, people working in kindergartens, and people with weak immune systems are more susceptible to infection. Diagnosis can be difficult because it may occur without symptoms. Antibodies formed against the agent remain in the person's body throughout life. The disease agent is investigated by performing a blood test. Even if the test is negative, it should be examined again after 2 weeks. The virus can also be produced in secretions such as throat culture, urine, etc., but this is an expensive method. There are not many options to test the fetus in cases where infection is detected during pregnancy. Amniocentesis is performed and virus is searched in the fluid. Developmental retardation in the fetus, enlargement of brain tissues, and decrease in amniotic fluid raise suspicion that the fetus is affected. When the baby is born, the virus is searched in the baby's saliva, blood and urine. A healthy pregnant woman is not affected by the disease, but the fetus is at risk. The transition rate from expectant mother to fetus is around 30-50%. 10% of fetuses infected after the primary infection in the mother are born with congenital CMV infection. The rate of congenital CMV infection worldwide is between 0.2-2%. If CMV infection is secondary in the expectant mother, the congenital CMV risk is around 1%. And only 1-10% of them have symptoms at birth. 15% do not show any symptoms at birth, but deafness and learning disabilities occur in the long term. If CMV is transmitted to the baby through secretions at the time of birth, this is generally It does not cause a serious situation. Pregnant women need to pay close attention to hygiene. Washing hands and soap is very important. Food contaminated with saliva transmits the disease. For this reason, it is dangerous to share food and use the same fork, spoon, etc. During pregnancy checks, the causative agent of this disease should be investigated by blood test. Expectant mothers, especially those who complain of fever, swollen lymph nodes, and fatigue, should be alert about this disease. To underline again, it is especially important for the expectant mother to be pregnant when she has this disease for the first time, in terms of the risk to the fetus.
There is no vaccine against the disease agent.
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