Is Cytomegalovirus Contagious?
Contagion summary:
Spread by sex, blood, urine, saliva, kissing, urine, diapers, breast milk,
semen, and cervical secretions; also transplants;
also transplacental and during childbirth.
Contagiousness properties for Cytomegalovirus:
Contagious overall?:
Yes
Contagious by sex?:
Yes
Contagious by oral sex?:
Yes
Contagious by anal sex?:
Yes
Contagious by vaginal sex?:
Yes
Contagious from kissing?:
Yes
Contagious from saliva?:
Yes
Contagious from body fluids?:
Yes
Contagious from urine?:
Yes
Contagious from feces?:
Yes
Contagious from blood?:
Yes
Contagious from blood transfusion?:
Yes
Contagious from intravenous needle usage?:
Yes
Contagious from needlestick injury?:
Yes
Contagious from organ transplant?:
Yes
Contagious breastfeeding mother to infant?:
Yes
Contagion summary:
The virus can be transmitted from person to person through
transplantation of infected organs or through the exchange of body fluids,
such as blood, urine, saliva, breast milk, semen, and cervical secretions.
(Source: excerpt from NINDS Cytomegalic Inclusion Body Disease (CIBD) Information Page: NINDS)
Transmission of CMV occurs from person to person. Infection requires close, intimate contact with a person excreting
the virus in their saliva, urine, or other bodily fluids. CMV can be sexually transmitted and can also be transmitted
via breast milk, transplanted organs, and rarely from blood transfusions. (Source: excerpt from Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD)
Discussion about Contagion of Cytomegalovirus:
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD (Excerpt)
Infectious CMV may be shed in the bodily fluids of any previously infected person, and thus may be found in
urine, saliva, blood, tears, semen, and breast milk. The shedding of virus may take place intermittently, without any
detectable signs, and without causing symptoms. (Source: excerpt from Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD (Excerpt)
Although the virus is not highly contagious, it has been shown to spread in households and among young children
in day care centers. Transmission of the virus is often preventable because it is most often transmitted through
infected bodily fluids that come in contact with hands and then are absorbed through the nose or mouth of a
susceptible person. Therefore, care should be taken when handling children and items like diapers. Simple hand
washing with soap and water is effective in removing the virus from the hands. (Source: excerpt from Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD (Excerpt)
The virus can also be transmitted to the infant at delivery from contact with genital secretions or later in infancy
through breast milk. However, these infections usually result in little or no clinical illness in the infant. (Source: excerpt from Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection: DVRD)
About contagion and contagiousness:
Contagion and contagiousness refers to how easily
the spread of Cytomegalovirus is possible from one person to another.
Other words for contagion include "infection", "infectiousness",
"transmission" or "transmissability".
Contagiousness has nothing to do with genetics
or inheriting diseases from parents.
For an overview of contagion,
see Introduction to Contagion.
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