Perinatal Outcomes of Non-Primary Maternal Cytomegalovirus Infection: A 15-Year Experience
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Updated: Feb 26, 2026
Intracerebroventricular and Intravascular Injection of Viral Particles and Fluorescent Microbeads into the Neonatal Brain
Published on: July 24, 2016
Giuliana Simonazzi1, Alessandra Curti, Francesca Cervi
1Division of Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine, Department of Medical Surgical Sciences, St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
Objective:
To evaluate perinatal outcomes in case of non-primary maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective cohort study of pregnant women with active CMV infection referred to our unit over a 15-year period (January 2000 to December 2014). Non-primary infection was diagnosed on the basis of the results of confirmatory serological and virological tests (avidity test, immunoblotting, real-time PCR-DNA). The vertical transmission rate and the percentage of symptomatic congenital infection were determined in this group of patients.
Results:
A total of 205 pregnant women were enrolled. Congenital infection occurred in 7 (3.4%) fetuses/neonates. Symptomatic disease was present at birth in 3 of the 7 congenitally infected neonates (1.5%). Two out of 3 symptomatic newborns presented a pathologic second-trimester ultrasound scan.
Conclusion:
Maternal immunity offers substantial protection against intrauterine transmission of CMV infection, but not against disease once the fetus is infected.
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