Prevention

CMV is present in saliva, urine, tears, blood, mucus, and other bodily fluids. Frequent handwashing with soap and water is important after contact with diapers or oral secretions. For pregnant women, this is especially important if they are around a child who is in daycare, playgroup, or interacting with other young children on a regular basis.

Prevention Recommendations

Here are a few simple steps you can take to avoid exposure to saliva and urine that might contain CMV:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 15-20 seconds, especially after changing diapers, feeding a young child, wiping a young child's nose or drool, and handling children's toys
• Do not share food, drinks, or eating utensils used by young children
• Do not put a child's pacifier in your mouth
• Do not share a toothbrush with a young child
• Avoid contact with saliva when kissing a child
• Clean toys, countertops, and other surfaces that come into contact with children's urine or saliva

Recommendations for Medical and Educational Professionals

For Medical Professionals

Standard precautions in healthcare settings are adequate for preventing transmission of CMV between patients and staff. Routine screening of patients for CMV infection is not recommended.

Although CMV is spread through contact with infected body fluids, including urine and saliva, the risk of CMV infection among healthcare workers appears to be no greater than that among the general public. This may be due in part to adherence to standard precautions by healthcare providers when handling body fluids and the lower amount of personal contact in the healthcare setting.

For Educational Professionals

Screening of children for CMV infection is not recommended, and infected children should not be excluded from school or other settings. Standard hygiene practices are advised for all persons caring for children.

OB/GYN Counseling of Pregnant Patients

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the CDC recommend that OB/GYNs counsel women on basic prevention measures to guard against CMV infection. But according to a 2007 survey, fewer than half (44%) of OB/GYNs reported counseling their patients about preventing CMV. This could be due to the perceived rarity of congenital CMV cases, the lack of congenital CMV diagnoses within their practice, or just a simple oversight.

Stop CMV understands how difficult it may be to adjust ones daily routine while pregnant, especially for mothers and those women who work as child care providers, daycare workers, nurses, teachers, and therapists. However, it is important for these messages to be communicated to pregnant women and those planning future pregnancies in order to inform and empower them to take a more active role in their personal hygiene and healthcare decisions.