Perinatal Outcomes of Non-Primary Maternal Cytomegalovirus Infection: A 15-Year Experience

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate perinatal outcomes in case of non-primary maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with active CMV infection referred to our unit over a 15-year period (January 2000 to December 2014). Non-primary infection was diagnosed on the basis of the results of confirmatory serological and virological tests (avidity test, immunoblotting, real-time PCR-DNA). The vertical transmission rate and the percentage of symptomatic congenital infection were determined in this group of patients. RESULTS: A total of 205 pregnant women were enrolled. Congenital infection occurred in 7 (3.4%) fetuses/neonates. Symptomatic disease was present at birth in 3 of the 7 congenitally infected neonates (1.5%). Two out of 3 symptomatic newborns presented a pathologic second-trimester ultrasound scan. CONCLUSION: Maternal immunity offers substantial protection against intrauterine transmission of CMV infection, but not against disease once the fetus is infected.