RISK OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION IN NURSES AND CONGENITAL INFECTION IN THEIR OFFSPRING

Abstract

Ahlfors, K., Ivarsson, S.-A., Johnsson, T. (†) and Renmarker, K. (Department of Clinical Virology and Department of Paediatrics, University of Lund, Malmö General Hospital, Malmö, and the Department of Personnel Health Care, Malmö, Sweden). Risk of cytomegalovirus infection in nurses and congenital infection in their offspring. Acta Paediatr Scand, 70: 819, 1981.-The risk of contracting cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in nursing of infants and of congenital CMV infection in infants born to such nursing personnel were investigated. The investigation comprised 292 women working in paediatric clinics or day nurseries and a control group of 163 women who had no professional contact with infants. Among the women younger than 25, those who had tended infants for more than six months were significantly (p<0.001) more often seropositive for CMV than were those-mainly student nurses-with less than six months' infant nursing service, but not more often than control women. At ages above 25 there was no intergroup difference in regard to CMV tests. Seroconversion was rare and there was no demonstrable difference between the groups. In a separate study the occupation of 36 mothers of infants with congenital CMV infection was investigated. Compared to a control group no overrepresentation of nurses was found. All six congenitally infected infants born to nurses developed normally.