Can you catch cytomegalovirus (CMV) easily through broken skin?

[Creamteaforthree]

Just that really! I have really cracked skin on my hands and although I am a conscientious hand washer, I worry when I do nappy changes! Anyone have any knowledge? Thanks a million.

Very easily! Be warned! It's horrible.

Oh goodness. it's so scary and hardly anyone knows anything about it. do you have experience of it danTDM?

Unless you're pregnant it's usually flu like symptoms

Hi OP sorry, only just seen your message. Yes! I got it a few years back when my DD was at nursery, it often comes hand in hand with other nasties, like Mononucleosis. I admit I got them both at the same time, so maybe I am overreacting about the CMV, but later, it definitely caused me problems.

It's always there if you're run down IYSWIM.

Children don't seem affected they just get on with it!

I caught CMV when pregnant with DS. As a result, he was born with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss.

Pregnant woman, please be aware of the risks. CMV is caught through coming into contact with bodily fluids.

Wash tour hands thoroughly throughout your pregnancy, avoid kissing on the lips, sharing cutlery etc.

As it so happens, we have been asked to participate in a short film warning people of the risks of CMV for the NHS choices website. Filming starts on Wednesday!

Oh very interesting!

I had a blood test at 8 weeks which showed I had no immunity to CMV. I was a primary teacher and so was signed off sick for my entire pregnancy. I'm non UK and I was amazed when I found out that the NHS advice was just "wash your hands". It's treated as a serious risk to the baby here.

The awareness in the UK is absolutely shocking considering the risks to baby. If I had known about how awful this virus is and how it is transferred, I would have done everything in my power to stop this happening. Even my health visitor hadn't heard of it!

George - it's great that you took that precaution. We don't even get a blood test to check for it here.

I've never even heard of it, despite having had two babies!

I've got a brother with CP and it was my Mum who said look, anything you can do to stop that happening, you have to do it.

I was a bit surprised at first that they wanted to sign me off sick - I felt great and wanted to work. But once someone who has been through it says why would you risk it it seems ridiculous not to follow the advice.

Never even heard of this!
😳😳 off to google I go

User - be warned it's not easy reading! When my DS was diagnosed, I turned to Dr Google and my heart broke to think what was in store for my precious baby. As it is, his hearing only seems to be effected which is the best of of a bad situation tbh. Babies can be born REALLY poorly.

Quite frankly, as a pregnant woman with a toddler this scares the bejesus out of me. And yet there is no education / awareness raising about it. During my first pregnancy I stumbled upon a section about CMV buried on the NHS website quite by accident. Not one health professional (midwife, health visitor, GP) uttered a word about it or about the precautions. You may say that they are all simple hygiene rules that we should all know to do anyway, but some people can be a little lax and need warning. It's not fair that the unborn baby should suffer as a consequence.

Lovelise, do you know how you might have caught it? It's interesting you're doing a video on it for the NHS. Is it part of an awareness raising campaign?

Hi Bluebell. Yes, the film is for exactly that reason. It's too late for us so I want other woman to be made aware of the risks and what to do to potentially avoid infection. There is a shocking lack of info provided by health care providers in the UK.

In regards to how we contracted it well, I have a toddler so I presume it came from her although we can't be certain. It's one of things, what's done is done.

Most of the time it comes from small kids, hence me not being allowed to work in a school. By the time they are adults most people have had it, and are therefore immune.

Ok so google is throwing all sorts of info at me but I still can't get my head around it
Is it the cold sore virus? Or have I mis interpreted it?

Have you made the video yet? I'd be very interested to watch it!

My little boy has just started nursery and I'm bloody concerned now 😭

So the best thing to prevent it is very good hygiene? In all areas of life? Cooking? Hand washing etc
Sorry to sound naive but can't seem to even find much online
Is there blood tests you can have? To see if you have it or not? Do you get symptoms? Ahh

Hi User, I can only speak from my experience and what I've learned in the past 9 months. CMV is only dangerous to the baby if you have NOT had the virus before (because your body hasn't produced anti bodies to fight it previously), if you have had it, it's not so much of a risk. Sometimes it can effect the baby significantly, sometimes not so much. For example, my DS only had hearing loss which is at the 'good' end of the spectrum. I didn't realise I had contracted CMV until DS was born and he failed his newborn hearing test. Tests were done and apparently I had it in the first trimester of my pregnancy. There is currently no tests that they perform on pregnant woman and the awareness is not great as other posters have mentioned. We are filming a piece for the NHS Choices website next Wednesday, I don't know when it will be published. Hopefully ASAP! In regards to hygiene, you are more at risk if you have small children or work with children as they are little germ bombs! Wash your hands regularly, don't kiss on the lips, or share cutlery etc. As it's transferred via bodily fluids. Sorry about the lack of paragraphs, they don't seem to work on the app! I hope this is useful to you and spread the word!!

Lovelise it's great you're doing so much to raise awareness. I have a profoundly deaf child too, not due to CMV, but i must admit i only found out about CMV through other parents of Deaf kids, the lack of awareness here is shocking, you're right. May i ask, did you have any symptoms at the time that you remember? I do worry about it now in pregnant again with a snotty toddler. Hope your DS is getting on well

If testing is available freely to everyone in other EU countries I don't see why you couldn't push for it to be available in the uk

Thinking back, the only thing that I remember in my first trimester was a blinding headache akin to a migraine (which I don't usually get). I just put it down to normal pregnancy gripes, as you do. I hadn't heard of CMV at the time. DS is fine all in all, he is quite severely deaf and wears hearing aids in both ears. He's only 9 months so it's quite difficult to gauge his level of hearing loss, although, without his hearing aids he can't hear a thing bless him! I feel sad that a stupid virus has changed his life forever. My mantra is that 'he will not be defined by his deafness'! He will have the same opportunities as anyone else, it will just be a tougher road. How is your profoundly deaf little one getting on?

Happyvalley I have unfortunately been in contact with health professionals who have the opinion that 'it's a virus, there's not much you can do about it' but the fact is that if it is identified before the baby is 4 weeks old, they can be given anti viral drugs to stop/slow the duplication of the virus. Also, the more information you have about it, the more you can do about it. If you don't know anything, then you've got no chance!
But yes, screening would be a good idea!

He absolutely won't be defined by his deafness my little girl is doing really well thanks. She wasn't diagnosed until she was a year old, but she has absolutely no natural hearing, so she got cochlear implants at 18 months. She's now two and she's just doing wonderfully with them. She also signs really well. It can be so difficult, and a constant battle for support, but you're right we just have to keep fighting!

Nomorespaghetti - wow that's really late to be diagnosed. I really am so happy that she is doing well. I love hearing about how little ones with hearing loss thrive. We are learning BSL at the moment and are trying to introduce it into family life. It's amazing how quickly kids pick it up! My 4 year old is doing better than DH! We are also planning on attending the Elizabeth Foundation in Portsmouth to help DS with his speaking. Speech delay is my major worry tbh.

Thankyou for the info! Good luck with the filming!!

I was a BSL interpreter before having my son (hope to go back to it one day)
And I had never even heard of it even throughout all of my training which covered reasons for hearing loss!

Glad your little one is doing well! Xx

I know this is an old post but am currently wondering the same: my research tells me it’s not spread via broken skin unless it’s deep open wounds usually in lab settings. Does anyone know? My midwife said it couldn’t but didn’t seem sure. I have a small cut on my hand so worried about it