Congenital cytomegalovirus infection

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common congenital viral infection in humans and the major cause of wide-spread encephalitis and developmental abnormalities of the newborn brain which can lead to several neurological consequences. Infection with the human CMV (HCMV) in patients with normal immune function does not cause a clinically manifest disease. As the HCMV infection in pregnancy is often unrecognized, it represents an additional risk for development of congenital HCMV infection. Beside the direct cytopathic effect of CMV on neurons during neurogenesis, the presence of the virus in brain parenchyme leads to the activation of host inflammatory response and development of pathohistological lesions. Therefore, further studies should be focused on development of safe and effective vaccines and drugs that will reduce the risk of maternal infection and in case of virus transfer from mother to child have the ability to prevent the development of congenital CMV infection.