Cytomegalovirus in the Perinatal Period

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent known cause of perinatally acquired infections. Congenital acquisition occurs in 0.5% to 2.7%1-3and natal acquisition occurs in 4% to 10%3,4of all deliveries. More than 90% of congenitally and natally acquired CMV infections are subclinical. Of infants infected in utero, a substantial percentage have late neurologic sequelae, such as decreased mentation and auditory impairment.2,3Not enough studies exist to permit an accurate prediction of eventual outcome among these infants. Nevertheless, CMV is rapidly emerging as the infectious agent most frequently responsible for congenital abnormalities. HISTORY The first human strains of CMV were isolated in 1955 by Smith,5from autopsy material of two infants described by Rowe et al,6and by Weller and associates, who isolated the virus from hepatic tissue and/or urine of three living infants with cytomegalic inclusion disease (CID).7Prior to this time, CID was