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9/26/2014  |   8:00 AM - 9:15 AM   |  Ballroom A-B

Plenary 1
Prevention of CMV infection through behavioral change

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection results from intrauterine transmission of the virus from mother to fetus, and can be due to primary maternal infection shortly before or during pregnancy of a previously CMV-seronegative woman, or due to reinfection or reactivation of latent infection in an already CMV-seropositive woman. Currently, interventions to prevent congenital CMV infections and their sequelae are limited. One promising approach to preventing congenital CMV infections is to encourage behavioral changes among pregnant women that reduce the risk of CMV transmission. Such transmission appears to require direct contact with infected body fluids, such as urine, saliva, genital secretions, or breast milk. Evidence suggests that the most common way a pregnant woman acquires CMV is by getting an infected child’s urine or saliva in her eyes, nose or mouth. Pregnant women can also get infected through sexual contact with an adult who has CMV. The chance of acquiring CMV through casual contact is very small. Behavioral interventions that incorporate CMV prevention messages and deliver them in a prenatal care setting show promise in reducing risky behaviors and new infections, but their success will depend on appropriate framing of the prevention messages, adequate tailoring to the target audiences, and proper message delivery and follow-up systems.

Michael Cannon (POC,Primary Presenter), mcannon@cdc.gov;
Michael Cannon is a research epidemiologist at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

ASHA DISCLOSURE:

Financial - No relevant financial relationship exist.

Nonfinancial - No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.

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