Cytomegalovirus infection is a disease that comes from the genus of herpes viruses. The infection has spread all over the world. It has captured even the civilized countries. The virus that causes this disease is able to stay in the human body for life and periodically resume its activity. According to statistics, the infection is more often detected in people who are less favorable in social status. Transmission and infection of the disease is possible only through close contact, for example, through body fluids. Often, cytomegalovirus infection is asymptomatic.
Symptoms in children
Cytomegalovirus can cause pneumonia or another infectious disease, and then remain in the body without showing itself until the end of life. The symptoms of the disease can manifest only with a weak immune system, in other cases, the virus is dormant.
After a certain time, the development of the virus and its reproduction leads to a deterioration in well-being. Cytomegalovirus in children affects any organ, while causing pneumonia, hepatitis, encephalitis or other intractable disease.
Children are more likely to become infected during fetal development,when the mother becomes infected with the disease. Transmission of the virus to the fetus occurs through the mother's blood. There are cases where an infant has become infected while breastfeeding.
Symptoms of cytomegalovirus in children after charging mainly depend on the state of he alth. With congenital infection, in the initial period of the development of viruses, symptoms do not appear, but they will become noticeable later in the form of impaired hearing, vision, or other neurological pathologies. During the course of the disease in newborns, an increase in the liver and the presence of seizures are detected. Rarely, with intrauterine infection, a child can be born underdeveloped with a complication of vision and hearing.
Symptomatics in adolescents
Symptoms of cytomegalovirus infection in adolescents:
- fatigue,
- muscle pain,
- headache with fever.
Symptoms are like mononucleosis. When infected in older children, the liver or spleen almost never enlarges. The above symptoms disappear after two weeks. This period depends on the age and he alth of the teenager. In this case, the child becomes a carrier of the virus.
Source of infection
Cytomegalovirus can be transmitted through direct contact with other he althy children. According to statistics, children are the main source of infection in adults.
When children are initially infected with the virus, cytomegalovirus remains embedded in the DNA structure. Experts currently can not removeit from the structure, as more often this leads to DNA damage. For parents, the main task is to improve he alth, namely, strengthening the child's immune system. The main thing is to prevent chronic exacerbation during the development of the virus.
Complications
Cytomegalovirus does not appear in young children, but in rare cases, signs of SARS are diagnosed that do not go away for a long time. But the virus should not be equated with harmless ones. It further leads to serious complications.
Complications of congenital cytomegalovirus infection are provoked by a decrease in immunity, which becomes a problem when infected with another infection that affects the level of immunity. Vulnerable parts of the child's body to the virus are the central parts of the nervous system. According to statistics, the consequences of congenital positive cytomegalovirus IgG in a child are deafness and atrophy of the optic nerve, as well as impaired mental and motor activity. Congenital infection is characterized by a feature - the virus can affect several other body systems.
Diagnosis
Since the infection is often asymptomatic, due attention should be paid to it during diagnosis. It is important to test for the presence of cytomegalovirus during a planned pregnancy, when infected with HIV infection, when there are signs of infectious-type mononucleosis against the background of the absence of the presence of the pathogen, and with long-term pneumonia or SARS.
When testing for the presence of a virus, blood is taken orany other biological fluid. The following methods are used to determine the amount and localization of virus antibodies:
- Determining the presence of CMV antibodies in biological material. It is carried out by seeding in the laboratory. These antibodies appear in the blood immediately after infection. They stop the further development of the infectious process, which is why the disease is almost asymptomatic.
- Determination of cytomegalovirus IgG immunoglobulins in children. The presence of which indicates a primary infection or an acute stage. If the infection occurred for the first time, then at the onset of the disease, these antibodies will increase. Provided that the cytomegalovirus IgG in children is repeated, antibodies can also be at a high level and remain there for many years.
- Definitions of IgM immunoglobulins. The presence of which indicates the current infection.
To determine the stage of development, it is necessary to constantly check the level of these antibodies. If there is a sharp increase in the number of antibodies by a factor of four, then we can talk about the stage of virus activity. If the opposite is observed, then this indicates that the patient is not infected with the virus. Even with the presence of these antibodies in the blood, there is always the possibility of re-infection.
PCR analysis
If it was not possible to determine the result, then additional tests are prescribed, they make it possible to accurately determine the picture of development by comparing different results. A blood test is only the first step in diagnosing a disease and does not provide complete information fordetermination of the state of the virus in the body. The results of other methods allow us to draw quite definite conclusions.
PCR analysis (polymerase chain reaction) reveals the presence of the pathogen structure in the DNA formula. This method always shows the result, since cytomegalovirus at any stage is detected in the DNA structure. As a material for PCR, a secret is taken from the urethra. The downside is the long time it takes to make a diagnosis.
The reaction of the body to infection
Newborns are at risk of infection if the mother has had an infection during pregnancy. The consequences of such infection will be noticeable immediately after birth. The main consequence of infection is a malformation. When diagnosing cytomegalovirus in children, doctors pay attention to the amount of IgG and IgM antibodies. Their large number means that the disease is in an acute form. Also, a large number of antibodies to cytomegalovirus in children indicates the resumption of its activity. For an accurate diagnosis, additional tests and analyzes are carried out to identify the type of virus.
Development of the virus
Cytomegalovirus can occur in both children and adults, moreover, if only about 15% of adolescents are affected by the disease, then in adults this figure rises to 50%. The susceptibility to the disease is determined based on the antibodies contained in the DNA of many people. These antibodies may be awakened due to diseases and other things, or they may not manifest themselves at all.all life. The disease is expressed in the form of one of the forms of herpes. While the duration of the incubation period can be about 50 days, it is quite difficult to recognize cytomegalovirus.
In modern developed countries, such an infection is very common, so there are quite a few forms of treatment, especially folk methods are often used. During those same 50 days, the disease practically does not manifest itself, but as soon as you get cold, get sick with a cold or any infectious diseases that lower immunity, the symptoms will begin to manifest themselves.
These include fever, frequent headaches, joint pain, weakness and excessive salivation. Often even experienced specialists confuse this virus with acute respiratory infections, but the main thing is to investigate in time, since the consequences of the disease are not the most pleasant. using traditional methods to improve the result.
If the type of IgM antibodies is greater than IgG, then they speak of primary infection. Moreover, this value indicates that the infection has been in the body for no more than six months. Additional tests and other tests are ordered to confirm the diagnosis. After the introduction of cytomegalovirus, a person develops a special immune system. It was revealed that the full development of the virus lasts no more than 60 days. At the same time, the immune system becomes unstable and slow. The body tries to defend itself against this virus by producingspecific antibodies to it. The severity of the infection is determined mainly based on the amount of IgM antibodies in the body.
Cytomegalovirus norm
Constant monitoring of the amount of IgM allows you to assess the dynamics of the disease. It is necessary to know that in the presence of severe forms of the course of the disease, the production of antibodies slows down. The result in determining the amount of IgM antibodies will help to form a picture of the course of the disease. The norm of cytomegalovirus igg is up to 0.5 lgM. If the test results showed a lower number, then the child is not considered positive for cytomegalovirus g.
Medicated treatment
There are many ways to treat cytomegalovirus in children. Doctors are now drawing up a treatment plan based on the use of strong antiviral agents. To get rid of the symptoms, you need, first of all, to increase immunity and all the protective functions of the body. It is worth noting that all therapy is aimed only at getting rid of the symptoms, it is impossible to cure this virus, as well as guarantee that it will not manifest itself in the near future. Once these antibodies in the DNA are awakened, even modern medicine cannot get rid of them, so now only drugs are being developed that inject these antibodies into a passive state for a long time.
There are no special recommendations after the course of treatment, you just need to monitor your he alth by following the regimen, eating right and paying attention to even minor signs of a cold.
Can't exerciseself-medication, even when a relapse occurs and it is known which medications were used last time. For cytomegalovirus, there are different degrees of manifestation and other nuances, which are best left to professionals to understand, especially since a more modern medicine may appear, because medicine does not stand still. When the immune system is strong and does not allow all symptoms to develop, then there will be no special problems, and serious treatment is not needed.
People suffering from frequent immunodeficiency should be especially careful. Perhaps, for prevention, it is better to drink immunomodulators and other drugs that can help the body fight infection. When the form of the disease is severe, you can not take it lightly, because according to studies, people with advanced cytomegalovirus suffer from diseases of the nervous system and even from damage to internal organs.
When medical treatment is not enough or you want to increase its effectiveness, you can use supplements in the form of biologically active substances, as well as use a special form of plants like ginseng, echinacea, lemongrass and other useful fees.
It's also important to include walking and increased physical activity in your routine.
Herbal treatment
Traditional medicine provides for many treatment options, especially licorice root, kopechnik, combining them with chamomile, string and alder. Grind and mix all of the above ingredients, then take two tablespoons of the collection, pour 500 ml of boiling water. Let the product brew overnight, thenstrain and drink up to four times a day.
An equally effective remedy will be obtained if you mix burnet root, thyme herbal collection, string, birch buds, wild rosemary and yarrow shoots. Take each component in equal parts, then mix everything. Again, you do not need a lot of the mixture, take half a liter of boiling water for 2 tablespoons, pour. You need to insist for 12 hours, then strain and consume three times a day.
Prevention
In order to reduce the risk of infection, the following preventive measures are taken:
- With low immunity, "Sandoglobulin" is administered intravenously - this is a non-specific immunoglobulin.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Keep hygiene.
- So that the newborn does not develop this pathology, it is recommended that the pregnant woman undergo diagnostics, and in which case - adequate therapy.
- When breastfeeding, it is advised to cook milk at 72 degrees for ten minutes.
