Abstract
Congenital CMV infection is caused by in utero motherβtoβfetus transmission and is a leading cause of birth defects and developmental disabilities. The highest risk of disability is to children born to women who have a primary infection during pregnancy, which can be detected by measuring seroconversion. We reviewed studies that reported rates of CMV seroconversion in different populations. Among pregnant women, annual seroconversion rates typically ranged from 1 to 7% (summary annual rateβ=β2.3%, 95% CIβ=β2.1β2.4%). Healthcare workers, including those caring for infants and children, had seroconversion rates similar to pregnant women (summary annual rateβ=β2.3%, 95% CIβ=β1.9β2.9%). Among dayβcare providers, seroconversion rates ranged from 0 to 12.5% (summary annual rateβ=β8.5%, 95% CIβ=β6.1β11.6%). Parents whose child was not shedding CMV were much less likely to seroconvert (summary annual rateβ=β2.1%, 95% CIβ=β0.3β6.8%) than were parents who had a child shedding CMV (summary annual rateβ=β24%, 95% CIβ=β18β30%). Nevertheless, over the course of a year, most parents exposed to a CMVβshedding child do not become infected. Other groups with elevated risk included families with a CMVβshedding member, female minority adolescents and women attending sexually transmitted disease clinics. The relatively low rate of CMV seroconversion in most populations is encouraging for behavioural interventions and for vaccine strategies attempting to prevent infection during pregnancy. Published in 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.