Cytomegalovirus: Symptoms, transmission and prevention

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus. Once infected, your body retains the virus for the rest of your life. It is related to the virus that causes sore throat and chickenpox. It is not widely known because it rarely causes problems in healthy people.

CMV is mostly controlled by your immune system and most people do not realise that they have it. For people who have a weak immune system, CMV may prove to be fatal. It is deadlier for people who have had an organ, stem or bone marrow transplant.

Symptoms

CMV does not usually cause symptoms but some people get flu-like symptoms the first time they get CMV.

The symptoms are: High temperature, muscles aching, tiredness, skin rash, feeling sick, sore throat, swollen glands.

However, if a person doesn’t exhibit any symptoms, it usually gets better without treatment within 3 weeks, the NHS says.

Transmission

People with CMV may pass the virus in body fluids, such as saliva, urine, blood, tears, semen, and breast milk.

Other ways are:

-From direct contact with saliva or urine

-Through sexual contact

-From breast milk to nursing infants

-Through transplanted organs and blood transfusions

Prevention

Careful hygiene is the best prevention against CMV. Other precautions according to CDC are:

– Wash hands often

– Avoid contact with bodily fluids

– Avoid sharing of food or drink

– Clean surfaces

– Practice safe intercourse