National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Congenital cytomegalovirus


Other Names:
Fetal cytomegalovirus syndrome
Categories:
Congenital cytomegalovirus (congenital CMV) is a group of symptoms that may occur when an infant is infected with the cytomegalovirus before birth. Most infants who are infected with the virus never develop symptoms of the condition. However, approximately 10% of babies will experience health problems and/or disabilities such as problems with the lungs, liver and/or spleen at birth; hearing loss; vision loss; intellectual disability; seizures; small head size; and/or lack of coordination. Some babies with the condition may have evidence of infection at birth, while others may not develop symptoms for two or more years. Congenital CMV occurs when a mother is infected with cytomegalovirus during pregnancy and passes the infection to the fetus through the placenta. Treatment is based on the signs and symptoms present in each person.[1][2][3]
Last updated: 11/4/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of vision
Abnormality of sight
Vision issue
[ more ] 		0000504
Sensorineural hearing impairment 0000407
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Abnormality of coagulation 0001928
Anemia
Low number of red blood cells or hemoglobin
0001903
Hepatomegaly
Enlarged liver
0002240
Splenomegaly
Increased spleen size
0001744
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Congenital cytomegalovirus. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • You can obtain information on this topic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC is recognized as the lead federal agency for developing and applying disease prevention and control, environmental health, and health promotion and education activities designed to improve the health of the people of the United States.
  • Mayo Clinic has an information page on Congenital cytomegalovirus.
  • MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Congenital cytomegalovirus. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Congenital cytomegalovirus. MedlinePlus. May 2013; https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001343.htm.
  2. Mark R Schleiss, MD. Pediatric Cytomegalovirus Infection. Medscape Reference. January 2015; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/963090-overview.
  3. Congenital CMV Infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 2010; http://www.cdc.gov/cmv/congenital-infection.html.