巨细胞病毒(巨细胞病毒) is a common virus that can impact people of all ages. 然而, it can be a more serious infection among people with weakened immune systems, 尤其是孕妇.
Pregnant women that become infected can pass 巨细胞病毒 to their developing baby, which can cause birth defects or other health issues. This is called congenital 巨细胞病毒 (c巨细胞病毒). About 1 in 200 babies are born with c巨细胞病毒 every year. Yet, less than one in ten women know about this condition.
常见的病毒
巨细胞病毒 is a version of the herpes virus, similar to the common chicken pox disease. Most people will contract the disease at some point in their lives, 但大多数情况下, 它只是表现为感冒. 然而, when a pregnant person is infected by 巨细胞病毒, it can cause serious health problems.
"巨细胞病毒 is spread through contact with bodily fluids," says 阿尔伯特公园，马里兰州，首席执行官 小儿耳鼻喉科 犹他健康大学的研究员. “很多次, pregnant women will have small children in daycare or preschool who will get an infection. When they come home and kiss their mom on the lips or share a utensil with mom, 她感染了."
除了唾液, other common ways to transmit 巨细胞病毒 include blood, 精液, 和其他体液.
The best way to prevent an infection is to wash hands frequently and avoid as much contact with bodily fluids as possible—which might require women to avoid kissing their children on the lips or sharing utensils.
出生缺陷等
Like Zika, 巨细胞病毒 is known to cause 头小畸型 以及其他先天缺陷, 包括听力损失, 早产, 低出生体重, 肝脏问题, 和癫痫发作. Even for babies who are born looking healthy, problems may arise.
"Hearing loss is the most common deficit from 巨细胞病毒," Park says. "Some children are born deaf while others may slowly lose their hearing over several years."
巨细胞病毒 testing can have a huge impact on a child's family. 新生儿听力筛查, which has been universally performed since the late 1990s, can help diagnose hearing loss in children. But the screening does not provide information on the cause of a 儿童听力损失. In 2013, Utah became the first state to require 巨细胞病毒 testing in any newborn who fails a hearing test. 不幸的是, 巨细胞病毒 is not offered in most states—even for those who fail their newborn hearing screen.
通过早期发现巨细胞病毒, the severity of the infection can be determined, and treatment can begin immediately. For those with severe infection, antiviral therapy can also begin immediately, which has been shown to improve hearing and brain development. Hearing aids or cochlear implantation can also be offered earlier to optimize speech and language development.
By raising awareness of 巨细胞病毒 and its impact on babies, doctors hope to improve early detection of this infection. Early 巨细胞病毒 screening offers the hope to identify more at-risk children. 到目前为止, no vaccines for the illness exist, and 巨细胞病毒 cases seem to be more frequent among low-income households. By sharing information about it, more people can take preventive measures and ensure that babies are born healthy.
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