What is Cytomegalovirus?
Cytomegalovirus is the most common virus from herpes viral family. It is also known as HCMV (herpes cytomegalovirus) or CMV or HHV-5-human beta herpesvirus 5.
Almost 50% of people in the US are infected by this virus by the age of 40 with the absence of symptoms in them. Once infected by the cytomegalovirus, it remains dormant in the body for a lifetime, shows symptoms or complications when the immunity of the individual is weakened.
Who is more prone to this infection of Cytomegalovirus?
• Male-female have an equal probability of getting infected
• People of all age group from newborn to old age
• Pregnant and lactating women’s
• Immuno-comprised individual
What is the mode of spread of the virus?
• Pregnant women to fetus
• From lactating mother to baby
• From body fluid and secretions like blood, saliva, seminal fluid and vaginal fluid, etc.
• Intimate physical contact with an infected person
• Blood transfusion, surgical procedure like organ or bone marrow transplant
What are the signs and symptoms of Cytomegalovirus?
Although 90% of cases do not show any symptom as virus remain inactive, still some may show the following symptoms,
• Fever
• Body ache
• Uneasiness
• Swollen gland
• Skin rash
• Sometime low appetite
• Occasionally weight loss
What investigations are advised for the Cytomegalovirus?
• Analysis of blood, urine, fluid – virus culture.
• TORCH test in pregnant women.
• Amniocentesis-in which amniotic fluid is tested to check whether the fetus is infected from mother or not.
• Before organ transplant surgery
What is the prognosis of Cytomegalovirus?
The patient may turn asymptomatic in some weeks.
Fatigue proceeds for many weeks thereafter.
How to prevent the spread of infections in cytomegalovirus?
• Wash hands with soap and water at regular time intervals.
• Avoid intimate physical contact with the infected person.
• Dispose of waste material like a diaper, sanitary pads, tissue carefully.
• Avoid using contaminated materials.
• Clean toys and countertops regularly.
What are the complications of Cytomegalovirus?
It can be divided into 2 types:
1. Congenital: when the infection passes from mother to baby is called a congenital infection, may show the following complication in children
• Hearing loss from mild to moderate.
• Jaundice
• Pneumonia
• Epilepsy
• Cerebral palsy
• Physical incoordination
2. Acquired or recurred infection: shows following complication
• Retinitis
• Hepatitis
• Encephalitis-inflammation of brain
• Colonitis-inflammation of colon
• For HIV positive individual cytomegalovirus is most opportunistic infection
What are the Commonly indicated homeopathy remedies for Cytomegalovirus?
• Rhus Toxicodendron
• Arsenicum album
• Phosphoric acid
