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What is CMV?

CMV, or Cytomegalovirus, is a common virus that can infect people of all ages. Once CMV is in a person’s body, it stays there for life. Most healthy adults and children who become infected will have no signs or symptoms and no long term effects from CMV. It can however pose serious risks to unborn babies if a pregnant woman catches it for the first time. Congenital CMV is when a baby has been infected before birth. It is one of the leading causes of hearing loss in children and one of the main causes of childhood disability.

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2 to 3

babies everyday will be damaged by CMV

1 in 5

children with the virus will develop permanent problems due to CMV

25%

of child hearing loss is caused by CMV infection

Reducing the Risk

Avoid sharing cutlery and cups

Avoid putting things in your mouth that have just been in a child’s mouth. When possible, try not to share food, cups or cutlery, or put your child’s dummy in your mouth.

Wash any items which may have been in contact with a child’s saliva or urine.

Wash hands

Wash your hands after contact with a child’s urine or saliva. For example, try to make a habit of cleaning your hands after changing a nappy, feeding a child or wiping a child’s nose or mouth.

Wash your hands well for 20 seconds with soap and water. If you do not have access to soap and water, use hand sanitiser.

Avoid Kissing on the Mouth

Avoid getting saliva in your mouth when kissing a child. You can do this by trying to give more kisses on the head, together with a big hug.

Our Recommendations

Wash Hands

Advice

Risk reduction advice should be routinely given to pregnant women.

Guidelines

Guidelines

Produce and implement clinical guidelines and pathways for testing, improved diagnosis and management of cCMV.

Screening

Targeted Screening

Targeted screening for cCMV in children who fail a newborn hearing test to enable affected children to receive treatment much sooner.

Treatment

Universal Screening

Universal screening for cCMV to enable affected children to receive treatment much sooner.

Research

Research

Invest in research to support clinical decision making.

Vaccine

Vaccine

Develop a vaccine to end CMV. Eradicate CMV once and for all.

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Who we help

Pregnant Women

Pregnant Women

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Families

Families

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Families

Working with Small Children

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Health Professionals

Health Professionals

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Baby LossDiagnosis in pregnancyOur Stories

Daisy

When Paul and I found out that we were expecting it was the happiest time…
AsymptomaticDiagnosis in pregnancyOur Stories

George

My name is Angela and I have been a qualified midwife since 2008 at the…
Diagnosis in pregnancyOur StoriesPregnant Women

Mia

Hello, this is Mia, she is 6 months and 2 weeks old and I got…
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Evie H

July 2014 My name is Alex and this is the story of how I came…
Diagnosis in pregnancyOur Stories

Jade

I have numerous conditions and complications affected by CMV. I'm partially deaf, ADHD, cerebral palsy…
Hearing LossOur Stories

Alfie

I wanted to share my CMV story, this is my wonderful little boy Alfie. I…
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