CMV

CMV (cytomegalovirus) is a common infection in children. Seriousness of infection may vary with the age and state of health of child or adult. Asymptomatic infections are the most common, particularly in children. An infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome with prolonged fever and mild hepatitis, can occur in adolescents and adults. Children or adults who have chronic illness such as cancer, HIV infection, or with organ transplants may become very ill with CMV.

Spread of CMV from asymptomatic infected children in child care to their mothers or to child care providers is the most important consequence of child care-related CMV infection. CMV infection poses a risk to pregnant women as it can rarely cause congenital abnormalities. However, as CMV infection is so common and often unknown, excluding infected children or pregnant women from childcare is not useful.

What to do when a child has CMV?

Council childcare staff

In view of the risk of CMV infection in child care staff and the potential consequences of gestational CMV infection, child care staff should be counseled about the risks. This counseling may include testing for serum antibody to CMV to determine the child care provider's immunity against CMV, but routine serologic testing currently is not recommended.

Hand washing is critical

Transmission of CMV requires direct contact with virus-containing secretions. Therefore, careful attention to hygiene, specifically hand washing, is critical. Avoiding contact with secretions is recommended to prevent infection in child care providers

Because CMV excretion is so prevalent, attempts at exclusion, isolation, or segregation of children who excrete CMV are impractical and inappropriate. Similarly, testing of children to detect CMV excretion is inappropriate because excretion often is intermittent, and results of testing can be misleading.

How to prevent CMV

When can children with CMV return to childcare?

Children with CMV do not need to be excluded from childcare.

When should children with CMV be excluded?

Children with CMV do not need to be excluded from childcare.

What to do if child care staff are pregnant or possibly pregnant.