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  2. Also known as: CMV
    A common viral infection that is mostly harmless, and only rarely causes illness. This causes body pain, fever, tiredness and sorethroat.
    Condition Highlight
    Urgent medical attention is usually recommended in severe cases by healthcare providers
    Condition Highlight
    Certain types can be dangerous or life threatening
    How common is condition?
    Common (More than 200,000 cases per year in US)
    Is condition treatable?
    Treatable by a medical professional
    Does diagnosis require lab test or imaging?
    Often requires lab test or imaging
    Time taken for recovery
    Can last several days or weeks
    How is condition transmitted?
    Transmitted through direct contact
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    Causes

    Verified Expert

    • The causes include:
    • Acquired CMV spreads from person to person via body fluids such as saliva, semen, blood, urine, vaginal fluids and breast milk.
    • Infection may also occur by touching contaminated surfaces.
    • Recurring CMV can occur in people with weakened immune systems.
    • Congenital CMV occurs when pregnant women infected with CMV during pregnancy or just before conceiving pass it onto their children.

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    Symptoms

    Verified Expert
    Contact your provider if experiencing new, severe, or persistent symptoms.

    Symptoms and severity of the infection varies depending on the individual's immunity (strength to fight the infection). Adults show mild symptoms. The infection to infants from pregnant mother or through breast milk is more severe.

    • Fever
    • Night sweats
    • Tiredness and uneasiness
    • Sore throat
    • Joint and muscle pain
    • Low appetite and weight loss
    • Large mouth ulcers

    In Babies:

    • Low birth weight
    • Jaundice
    • Pneumonia
    • Poor functioning of liver
    • Prolonged Fever
    • Inflammation of the brain
    • Seizures

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    Diagnosis

    Verified Expert
    One or more of these tests may be recommended by your medical provider.
    Most of the times, CMV infection goes undiagnosed as it does not show any symptoms. However, people with weakened immune systems are advised to undergo screening tests to detect it early and prevent complications.

    Common tests & procedures

    Blood test: Presence of antibodies in the blood indicates recent or past exposure to the virus.

    Viral detection test: Blood, fluid, or tissue sample is used to detect the virus by culturing, or by detecting the viral DNA through molecular methods like polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

    Amniocentesis: If the infection is suspected in pregnant women, amniotic sample may be tested for the presence of the virus.

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