CMV infection is a viral infection that is similar to chickenpox and herpes viruses. But unlike them, it infects a person through the body fluids of the infected person. While it is not harmful to healthy people, it can be dangerous for people with weak immune systems or newborns. That’s why if you notice any symptoms, you should visit the doctor for diagnosis or treatment. This can prevent further complications.   

Talk to a specialist for infectious diseases if you have any concerns. 

Noticing the symptoms and taking treatment can help you prevent them by consulting a doctor of Infectious diseases.  

Keep reading this article to learn more about this infection.  

Cytomegalovirus is a type of herpes virus that stays in your body for your whole life once you get infected. Many people don’t know about it because it produces common symptoms like fever, sore throat, tiredness, etc. which look like a common viral infection. And in healthy people, it doesn’t show any symptoms at all.  

While it’s not dangerous for healthy people who have strong immune systems but it can be serious for people who have weaker immunity because they mostly ignore its early symptoms which can lead to serious health issues such as eyes problem, digestive problems, liver and lungs problems, or nervous system problems.  

That’s why it is essential that whenever you experience the symptoms of CMV infection you should visit the doctor to confirm and start your early treatment.  

Infection routes  

CMV infection is related to the virus that causes chickenpox and herpes simplex virus. That means throughout its viral cycle it lies dormant and then reactivates. If don’t feel any symptoms it means that the virus is in a dormant phase. 

But when the virus is active, you can transmit the virus through body fluids such as saliva, urine, blood, breast milk, semen, tears, or vaginal fluids. But direct contact can’t spread CMV infection.  

Ways to transmit the virus include: 

• If you touch your eye or the inside walls of the nose or your mouth after making direct contact with an infected person’s body fluid you can get the virus.  
• Making sexual contact with an infected person. 
• Breast milk of an infected mother. Even the unborn child gets the infection in the womb of the infected mother by the umbilical cord.  
• Organ, bone marrow, or stem cell transplant can spread this infection. 
• Even with blood transfusion.  

Symptoms  

Healthy people mostly don’t experience any symptoms at all or some minor symptoms. Most people with weak immune systems (such as babies who get this infection when they are born or even before they are born, or get it from breast milk) can experience symptoms.  

In babies, the symptoms you can notice include: 

• Premature birth 
• Low birth weight  
• Yellow skin color  
• Jaundice 
• Poor liver functioning 
• Purple spots around the rash  
• Abnormally small head 
• Seizures or epilepsy 
• Pneumonia  
• Enlarged spleen 

In the case of adults with compromised immunity, you can see the following: 

• Liver problems such as hepatitis  
• Eye problems such as blurred vision or vision loss.  
• Digestive problems due to inflammation of the colon 
• Esophagus infection 
• Nervous system problems due to inflammation of nerves.  

In the case of healthy adults, only minor symptoms appear: 

• Fever 
• Muscle aches 
• Sore throat 
• Fatigue or tiredness  

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, make sure you visit the doctor to confirm.  

Want to know the steps that help you prevent this infection? At Doral Health and Wellness, we have specialists for Infectious Diseases that can help you manage your condition. For more information, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11212, or call us at 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://doralhw.org or contact us at info@doralhw.org if you have any queries.