Prevention

Careful hygiene is the best prevention against CMV. You can take these precautions:

• Wash your hands often. Use soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds, especially if you have contact with young children or their diapers, saliva or other oral secretions. This is especially important if the children attend child care.
• Avoid contact with tears and saliva when you kiss a child. Instead of kissing a child on the lips, for instance, kiss on the forehead. This is especially important if you're pregnant.
• Avoid sharing food or drinking out of the same glass as others. Sharing glasses and kitchen utensils can spread CMV.
• Be careful with disposable items. When disposing of diapers, tissues and other items that have been contaminated with bodily fluids, wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face.
• Clean toys and countertops. Clean any surfaces that come in contact with children's urine or saliva.
• Practice safe sex. Wear a condom during sexual contact to prevent spreading CMV through semen and vaginal fluids.

If you have weakened immunity, you may benefit from taking antiviral medication to prevent CMV disease.

Experimental vaccines are being tested for women of childbearing age. These vaccines may be useful in preventing CMV infection in mothers and infants, and reducing the chance that babies born to women who are infected while pregnant will develop disabilities.