Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus that belongs to the herpesvirus family
Pathophysiology
The majority of the population will have been infected by CMV at some point in their lives, often without showing any symptoms
The virus is mostly spread via the infected saliva or urine of asymptomatic children
Pregnant women who contract the virus for the first time during pregnancy pose a risk of transmission to the fetus, potentially leading to the development of congenital cytomegalovirus disease, however most cases of CMV in pregnancy do not cause congenital CMV