Diseases Passed from Mom to Newborn Can Threaten Baby
Doctors say the transfer of an infection from a pregnant mother to a newborn can pose a serious threat to the baby, including deafness and a malformed brain. Three congenital infections — syphilis, cytomegalovirus (CMV), and HIV — are especially problematic in Texas, reports the July issue of Texas Medicine magazine. (Source: TMA News Room)
Source: TMA News Room - July 16, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news

Medical News Today: Scientists 'completely surprised' by immunity-boosting virus
Cytomegalovirus — a common, asymptomatic virus — may actually boost the immune system's response to infection, much to specialists' surprise. (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)
Source: Health News from Medical News Today - July 4, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses Source Type: news

This virus actually may boost -- not weaken -- our immune system
(University of Arizona Health Sciences) Lifelong cytomegalovirus infection may be beneficial, boosting the immune system in old age, when we need it most, according to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - July 2, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news

Dormant cytomegalovirus resides in eyes of healthy mice long after infection
(PLOS) Infection with cytomegalovirus triggers long-lasting eye inflammation and establishes a dormant pool of the virus in the eyes of mice with healthy immune systems, according to new research presented in PLOS Pathogens by Valentina Voigt of the Lions Eye Institute in Western Australia and colleagues. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - May 31, 2018 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news

Cytomegalovirus Infection in an Immunocompetent Patient Cytomegalovirus Infection in an Immunocompetent Patient
CMV infection is normally symptomatic only in immunocompromised patients; however, this case demonstrates the potential for serious infection in otherwise healthy, immunocompetent patients.Journal of Medical Case Reports (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)
Source: Medscape Today Headlines - February 27, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Infectious Diseases Journal Article Source Type: news

$8.9 million collaborative grant to understand how dangerous virus 'hides' to attack another day
(University of Arizona Health Sciences) Dr. Felicia Goodrum and several of the nation's most prominent human cytomegalovirus researchers have been awarded a five-year, $8.9 million collaborative grant to investigate how the virus lies dormant until it activates and poses life-threatening disease risk. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - January 23, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news

Astellas and Vical Announce Top-Line Results for Phase 3 Trial of Cytomegalovirus Vaccine ASP0113 in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
TOKYO and SAN DIEGO, Jan. 22, 2018 -- (Healthcare Sales & Marketing Network) -- Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Yoshihiko Hatanaka, "Astellas") and Vical Incorporated (NASDAQ: VICL) announced today that ASP0113, an investigat... Biopharmaceuticals Astellas Pharma, Vical , cytomegalovirus (Source: HSMN NewsFeed)
Source: HSMN NewsFeed - January 22, 2018 Category: Pharmaceuticals Source Type: news

No Adverse Neurologic Hit From Postnatal CMV Infection in Preemies No Adverse Neurologic Hit From Postnatal CMV Infection in Preemies
Premature babies of mothers with cytomegalovirus who pick up the infection from breast milk are unlikely to develop neurological problems in early childhood as a result, according to a Dutch study.Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Pediatrics Headlines)
Source: Medscape Pediatrics Headlines - January 16, 2018 Category: Pediatrics Tags: Pediatrics News Source Type: news

A common virus may help inform treatment planning for stem cell transplant patients
(Virginia Commonwealth University) a team of scientists from VCU Massey Cancer Center have shown a genetic relationship between the reactivation of the human cytomegalovirus and the onset of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a potentially deadly condition in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue following a bone marrow or stem cell transplant. (Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer)
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - December 7, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news

Letermovir (Prevymis) Okayed for Stem Cell Transplant Infection Letermovir (Prevymis) Okayed for Stem Cell Transplant Infection
The drug prevents cytomegalovirus infections and disease in adults previously exposed to the common virus who have received an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant.FDA Approvals (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines - November 9, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Hematology-Oncology News Alert Source Type: news

FDA Approves Prevymis (letermovir) for Prevention of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection and Disease in Adult Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Patients
KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE) November 9, 2017 --Merck& Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Prevymis (letermovir) once-daily... (Source: Drugs.com - New Drug Approvals)
Source: Drugs.com - New Drug Approvals - November 9, 2017 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news

Study: therapists lack knowledge to prevent transmission of CMV
(Midwestern University) Results from a new health-risk knowledge survey indicate that physical and occupational therapists are at increased risk of contracting cytomegalovirus (CMV), a leading cause of prenatal infection and lifelong disabilities, but that they lack sufficient knowledge to prevent its transmission. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - October 4, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news

Immune system cells protect against CMV-induced hearing loss in mice
(PLOS) Immune system cells known as natural killer cells play an important protective role against hearing loss in mice infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV), according to a new study published in PLOS Pathogens. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - September 28, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news

What Causes Microcephaly?
Discussion Microcephaly is usually defined as an occipitofrontal head circumference (OFC) more than 2 standard deviations (SD) below the mean for sex, age and ethnicity. Severe microcephaly is used for OFC < 3 standard deviations. Rates of microcephaly range from 0.5-12 patients/10,000 live births. The OFC should be measured at every well child visit and at other opportunities and plotted on standard growth charts. The OFC is measured using a nonelastic tape measure around the largest part of the head with the tape measure held above the eyebrows and ears. It is a highly reproducible measurement. There are several diff...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - September 25, 2017 Category: Pediatrics Authors: pediatriceducationmin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news

Treating a little-known virus, CMV, to combat hearing loss in children
(University of Utah Health) A National Institutes of Health-supported nationwide clinical trial will test a novel approach to combat hearing loss in children infected by a relatively unknown virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV). The University of Utah Health-led study will determine whether antiviral therapy can halt progressive hearing loss in children with a confirmed CMV infection. CMV is the leading non-genetic cause of hearing loss, contributing from 6 to 30 percent of childhood cases. (Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases)
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - September 14, 2017 Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news