Cytomegalovirus is a viral infection from the family of herpesviruses that contains DNA and is capable of damaging the nervous system, organs and tissues of a person.90% of people have no symptoms of the disease. After the first exposure, the cytomegalovirus infection( CMV) can be in it for years, being latent.
- How is
- Symptoms of the disease
- Acute
- Generalized form
- Congenital form
- Consequences
- Diagnostics
- Treatment
- have
- children Neonates
- Pregnant
- Prevention
How is
Infection with cytomegalovirus infection may occur by contact with an infected person. And after infection, a person permanently remains a carrier of CMV.
The virus enters the external environment with various biological fluids: saliva, feces, urine, semen, breast milk, discharge from the cervix. Transmission routes can be the following: sexual, airborne and food. An unborn child can catch a cytomegalovirus infection from the mother through the placenta. In this case, a newborn can develop congenital cytomegaly.
Signs of the disease
Once in the body of people with weak immunity, CMV manifests itself like mononucleosis. There are the same symptoms:
- Prolonged fever accompanied by high fever and chills.
- Sore joint, muscle pain.
- Enlargement of lymph nodes.
- Skin rashes, reminiscent of rubella.
- Sore throat as with sore throat.
- Visual impairment.
- Ulcers of the digestive tract, sometimes with bleeding.
- Diarrhea.
- Inflammation of the brain.
- Convulsions.
In some cases, with the activation of infection, jaundice may occur with an increase in hepatic enzymes in the blood.
There are several forms of cytomegalovirus, each of which has its own symptoms.
to table of contents ^Acute form of
Occurs when the virus is transmitted sexually, or when a transfusion of infected blood occurs. Symptoms of acute form are similar to those of normal ARI: fever, weakness, malaise, rapid fatigue, drowsiness, headache, runny nose. There is abundant salivation, and salivary glands often become inflamed and increase. The gums and tongue are covered with white bloom. Cervical lymph nodes increase, a skin rash and aches in the joints appear.
The acute form lasts 4-6 weeks, while the common cold lasts several days. In people with a strong immune system, the body itself produces antibodies to cytomegalovirus and successfully resists infection.
to table of contents ^Generalized form of
Appears against the weakening of the immune system and is characterized by viral inflammation in the body. This form of cytomegalovirus infection often appears in people who underwent bone marrow transplantation, in leukemias, hemoblastoses and in HIV-positive people.
Inflammation of the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, spleen and pancreas. In addition, it is possible to develop pneumonia, damage to the vessels of the eyeball and retina, inflammation of the brain, intestinal wall and peripheral nerves.
In HIV-infected people, activation of generalized cytomegalovirus infection can be accompanied by fever, weakness, night sweats, muscular and joint pain. They suffer from anorexia, thrombocytopenia, hypoxia. Such people often suffer from colds, suffer from shortness of breath, dry cough.
CMV affects the spleen, liver and nervous system. Against the background of the underlying disease can develop septic bacterial and fungal infections, which complicate the definition of symptoms of the generalized form of the disease. Submandibular salivary glands are enlarged and joints become inflamed, chronic polyarthritis is aggravated. With lesions of the salivary glands, the degeneration of the epithelial layer of the intestine is noted, while erosions and ulcers develop, lymphohystiocytic infiltrates are found in the thickness of the intestinal wall.
In men, CMV in generalized form affects the parotid glands, testicles, urethra. Women develop cervical erosion and inflammation of the inner layer, develop colpitis and vulvovaginitis, as well as inflammation of the ovaries. In the genitals there are pains and secretions of whitish-blue color. Such lesions of the genitourinary system respond poorly to antibiotic therapy.
to contents ^Congenital form of
During the first 24 hours after birth, the following symptoms indicate the presence of cytomegalovirus in the newborn's body:
- Skin rash in the form of small hemorrhages.
- Jaundice.
- Hemorrhage in the mucous membranes.
- An admixture of blood in the excrements. Convulsions, trembling of limbs.
- Inflammation of the retina.
- Frequent vomiting.
- Elevated hemolysis of red blood cells.
Consequences of
The most dangerous consequence of cytomegalovirus infection is the development of sepsis( blood poisoning) and cytomegalovirus meningoencephalitis. If you do not go to the doctor in time, the person is threatened with death.
to contents ^Diagnosis of
The presence of cytomegalovirus infection is determined by specific studies:
- Cultural culture allows to identify the virus in the samples of sperm, saliva, urine, blood, vaginal smear. This method also determines how effective the treatment therapy is.
- ELISA( enzyme immunoassay) is based on the detection of antibodies to the cytomegalovirus. When immunodeficiency it is not used, since this condition excludes the production of antibodies.
- Light microscopy allows detecting special cells of CMV of large sizes with inclusions of intranuclear type.
- Laboratory diagnostics of DNA is a method that determines the presence of a virus in the human body, regardless of its location.
Treatment
CMV therapy is to reduce the impact of the virus on the body. In most cases, after the initial infection, the organism normally tolerates an outbreak of infection, and treatment of the disease is not required. This applies to healthy people, including children with strong immunity.
Treatment is prescribed by a doctor when cytomegalovirus infection poses a danger to a person: when signs of generalized form appear, acquired or congenital immunodeficiencies, complicated course of the disease, the appearance of a primary infection in pregnant women.
In these cases, according to the indications, the following medicament preparations may be prescribed:
- Immunoglobulins destroy viral particles - Megalotect, Cytotect, Neocytotect.
- Antiviral drugs block the multiplication of the virus in the body - Acyclovir, Panavir, Cidofovir, Ganciclovir, Foscarnet.
- Immunomodulators help to restore and strengthen immunity - Viferon, Cycloferon, Neovir, Leukinferon, Roferon A.
- The medications for presyndrome therapy are prescribed to restore infected tissues and organs.
- Symptomatic therapy drugs stop or relieve symptoms of CMV - vasoconstrictor drops in the nose, pain killers, eye drops, anti-inflammatory drugs.
In children
Symptoms of CMV infection in children are shown in dependenceon the age and state of immunity. The older the child, the easier it will be to develop the disease.
The immune system of children under 5 years of age can not yet exert much resistance to the disease. In this regard, at the age of 1 to 5 years, the likelihood of such symptoms is high:
- lag in physical development;
- impairment of motor activity, vision;
- convulsions;
- affection of internal organs;
- sore throat, abdomen;
- increased body temperature;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- hepatosplenomegaly;
- shortness of breath;
- cyanosis;A pertussis cough.
In generalized cytomegalovirus infection in children, virtually all organs can be involved in the process. The disease is accompanied by a prolonged fever, sepsis, cardiovascular and cardiovascular system disorders.
When a CMV infection is initially infected at the age of 5 to 7 years, the following symptoms appear in a child with normal immunity:
- Puffiness of the larynx.
- Headache.
- General malaise, muscle weakness.
- Hyperthermia.
- Rare skin rashes.
In this case, as a treatment prescribed antiviral drugs that translate the disease into passive form.
If, however, the immunity of the child during infection with CMV has been reduced, the symptoms manifest themselves depending on the form of the disease. The virus can affect the bile ducts, intestinal glands, kidney capsules, etc. This leads to the appearance of focal inflammations and the development of bronchitis, pneumonia, inflammation of the liver, adrenals, spleen.
to contents ^In newborns
The most common cause of CMV in newborns is intrauterine infection. If it occurred in the first trimester of pregnancy, the following developmental anomalies may occur:
- Hydrocephalus( enlarged ventricles of the brain).
- Microcephaly( small brain size).
- Disturbance of the structure of the substance of the brain.
- Endocardial fibroadelastosis, myocardial defects.
- In rare cases, defects of genital organs, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract may occur.
- Chorioretinitis is an inflammation of the retina of the eyes and vessels, which can be manifested by strabismus, weakening or complete loss of vision, inability to follow moving objects.
- Presence of small foci of hemorrhage on the skin.
- Viral pneumonia( pneumonia).
If infection occurred late in pregnancy, CMV in newborns manifests the following symptoms:
- Jaundice.
- Lesion of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs.
- Hepatolyenal syndrome( enlargement of the liver and spleen).
In addition, the disease can be accompanied by hemorrhagic eruptions. Children of the first year of life with cytomegalovirus often have lethargy, diarrhea, and recurrent vomiting, which leads to poor weight gain, increased body temperature, loss of appetite, and sleep disturbance. Signs of hemorrhagic syndrome are vomiting and petechiae. In newborns, hyporeflexia and hypotension are determined. In severe cases, intoxication occurs, which leads to death.
Acquired cytomegalovirus in infants up to 1 year is manifested as a lesion of the salivary glands. In rare cases, CMV in a newborn can cause insufficiency of the adrenal cortex, and in immunosuppression - damage to all organs.
to table of contents ^In pregnant women
In pregnancy, cytomegalovirus infection manifests itself in different clinical forms. During a period of acute infection, the liver, lungs and brain may be affected.
A sick woman has cysts, premature aging of the placenta. In this case, the weight of the fetus often exceeds the gestational age, abnormal attachment of chorial tissue of the placenta, premature detachment of the placenta, significant blood loss at birth in the amount of 1% of the body weight of the woman.
For sick women is characterized by a latent process of postpartum endometritis with subsequent violations of the menstrual cycle.
to contents ^Prevention of
Among the main preventive measures aimed at preventing CMV infection are the following:
- Healthy lifestyle.
- Personal hygiene.
- Maintenance of immunity.
- An ordered sex life without accidental intimate relationships.
- Use of barrier-type contraceptive methods.
- Inclusion in the diet of healthy and healthy food, rich in minerals and vitamins.