Can you die from cmv

CMV can cause serious infections in people who have had organ transplants or those with weakened immune systems. CMV does not always cause symptoms. If it does, how long they last can vary. This depends on how the infection happens and the age and general health of the person who has it. For example, a serious CMV infection before birth may cause lifelong developmental problems.

But CMV infection in teens may last only 2 to 3 weeks and cause no lasting problems. Once a person has the infection, the virus stays in the body, lying dormant not active. It can become "reactivated" come back weeks or years later. In people with very weakened immune systems such as those with AIDS, or people getting chemotherapy , the reactivated virus may cause serious illness.

Most people, though, will not get symptoms of CMV again. CMV can spread in a number of different ways. Anyone who has had a CMV infection, even without any symptoms, can spread the virus to others. But this mostly happens through close contact because the virus spreads through saliva spit , breast milk, vaginal fluids, semen, urine pee , and stool poop.

This happens because the mother had a first-time CMV infection or a reactivated infection during her pregnancy. An infected mother can pass the virus to her child before, during, or after birth. The CMV virus also can spread in childcare centers or preschool settings, passing among kids on contaminated toys or by direct contact. CMV also can be found in blood products and donated organs, causing infection after a blood transfusion or organ transplant. But preventive therapies are done for organ-transplant patients, and blood banks have procedures to help to prevent CMV from passing in blood products.

Most babies who have congenital CMV appear healthy at birth. A few babies who have congenital CMV who appear healthy at birth develop signs over time — sometimes not for months or years after birth.

The most common of these late-occurring signs are hearing loss and developmental delay. A small number of babies may also develop vision problems. The following signs and symptoms are more common in babies who have congenital CMV and who are sick at birth:.

Most people who are infected with CMV who are otherwise healthy experience few if any symptoms. When first infected, some adults may have symptoms similar to infectious mononucleosis, including:.

If you have CMV but are otherwise healthy, and you're experiencing any mild, generalized illness, you could be in a reactivation period. Self-care, such as getting plenty of rest, should be enough for your body to control the infection. If you know you were infected with CMV during your pregnancy, tell your baby's doctor.

The doctor will likely assess your baby for hearing or vision problems. CMV is related to the viruses that cause chickenpox, herpes simplex and mononucleosis. CMV may cycle through periods when it lies dormant and then reactivates. If you're healthy, CMV mainly stays dormant. When the virus is active in your body, you can pass the virus to other people. The virus is spread through body fluids — including blood, urine, saliva, breast milk, tears, semen and vaginal fluids.

Casual contact doesn't transmit CMV. CMV is a widespread and common virus that can infect almost anyone. Complications of CMV infection vary, depending on your overall health and when you were infected. Rarely, CMV causes a healthy adult to develop mononucleosis. Other rare complications for healthy adults include problems with the digestive system, liver, brain and nervous system. An infant whose mother first became infected with CMV during pregnancy is more likely to experience complications.

There is limited information on the effectiveness of valganciclovir to treat infants with hearing loss alone. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. About Cytomegalovirus CMV. Minus Related Pages. Signs and Symptoms. In some cases, infection in healthy people can cause mild illness that may include: Fever Sore throat Fatigue Swollen glands Occasionally, CMV can cause mononucleosis or hepatitis liver problem. CMV is spread from an infected person in the following ways: From direct contact with saliva or urine, especially from babies and young children Through sexual contact From breast milk to nursing infants Through transplanted organs and blood transfusions.

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