Since birth defects due to cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection are largely a problem in developed nations with a high proportion of seronegative young adults, defining the factors which influence the acquisition of CMV prior to reproductive age and identifying a potential source of CMV for seronegative pregnant women are of tremendous importance in both short and long range planning for prevention of the congenital infection. We propose to determine the effect of grouping preschool children in day care centers upon the prevalence of CMV infection, and to explore the potential for spread of CMV from young children to seronegative caretakers. Longitudinal virologic and serologic study of children from five day care centers will provide information on age at acquisition of CMV, sites and duration of excretion, as well as viral strains for molecular study. Preliminary evidence suggests that most of these children will acquire CMV between one and two years of age. Restriction exzyme analysis of isolates from children in a single center will be used to provide laboratory confirmation of horizontal transmission and to see if reinfection with new strains can be detected. Children from day care centers will be compared to a control group in home care enrolled from pediatric clinics. The two groups will be characterized according to demographic and socioeconomic features and prevalence of and age at acquisition of CMV will be compared. Prevalence of antibody to CMV will be compared among workers from 18 centers, mothers of children from five day care centers, and mothers of controls. Seronegative workers and mothers will be followed longitudinally to detect acquisition of CMV, and seroconversion rates will be compared among the three groups of women. We will attempt to recover CMV from any mothers or workers who seroconvert and compare the DNA fragment pattern generated by restriction enzyme analysis of this strain to that of the suspected source of virus.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD017966-04
Application #
3314946
Study Section
Epidemiology and Disease Control Subcommittee 3 (EDC)
Project Start
1983-07-01
Project End
1988-06-30
Budget Start
1986-07-01
Budget End
1987-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Alabama Birmingham
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
004514360
City
Birmingham
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35294
Pass, R F (1991) Day-care centers and the spread of cytomegalovirus and parvovirus B19. Pediatr Ann 20:419-26
Fowler, K B; Pass, R F (1991) Sexually transmitted diseases in mothers of neonates with congenital cytomegalovirus infection. J Infect Dis 164:259-64
Pass, R F; Hutto, C; Lyon, M D et al. (1990) Increased rate of cytomegalovirus infection among day care center workers. Pediatr Infect Dis J 9:465-70
Balcarek, K B; Bagley, R; Cloud, G A et al. (1990) Cytomegalovirus infection among employees of a children's hospital. No evidence for increased risk associated with patient care. JAMA 263:840-4
Pass, R F; Little, E A; Stagno, S et al. (1987) Young children as a probable source of maternal and congenital cytomegalovirus infection. N Engl J Med 316:1366-70
Hutto, C; Little, E A; Ricks, R et al. (1986) Isolation of cytomegalovirus from toys and hands in a day care center. J Infect Dis 154:527-30
Pass, R F; Hutto, C; Ricks, R et al. (1986) Increased rate of cytomegalovirus infection among parents of children attending day-care centers. N Engl J Med 314:1414-8
Pass, R F; Hutto, C (1986) Group day care and cytomegaloviral infections of mothers and children. Rev Infect Dis 8:599-605
Pass, R F; Hutto, C; Stagno, S et al. (1986) Congenital cytomegalovirus infection: prospects for prevention. Ann N Y Acad Sci 477:123-7
Hutto, C; Ricks, R; Garvie, M et al. (1985) Epidemiology of cytomegalovirus infections in young children: day care vs. home care. Pediatr Infect Dis 4:149-52

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