Ten years evaluation of cytomegalovirus infection in pediatric wards of Tehran's hospitals

Bcakground: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is quite common. This disease has different variations in clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to identify the symptoms, diagnosis pathway and clinical variations of cytomegalovirus infection. Therefore, in a 10-year period children who were hospitalized or referred to pediatric hospitals of Tehran city were selected. This is descriptive study was performed on 41 consecutive cases. Diagnostic criteria were rising of CMV IgG-Ab titer in two separated time with two weeks interval. Tittering methods for this specific antibody was Elisa. Demographic features such as age, sex, onset of symptoms, clinical symptoms and laboratory findings were evaluated. Of 41 infected children, 71% were boys, 58.5% aged less than one year, and 92.7% had experienced the disease during their first year of life. The most common symptoms were neurological (83%), developing defect (76%), seizure (54%) and microcephalus (39%). 24.4% had positive urine culture for CMV (active disease). Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were the most common non-neurological symptoms (29.3% and 17.1%, respectively). CMV infection is a congenital infection which transmits from mother to children, so it is better that pregnant women in first trimester period and immature neonate wouldn’t been exposed to suspicious patient with CMV infection.