Cytomegalovirus in women in the body is determined quite often. The pathogen is considered dangerous for general health, and therefore it is not recommended to ignore the signs of its presence in the body.
Doctors advise the fair sex to be attentive to their health so that the virus cannot be taken by surprise. What is an infection, the fair sex is interested in, and why it is so dangerous. How to determine the disease, and are there ways to cope with it?
What is this infection
Cytomegalovirus among patients and patients is also known by the acronym CMV. This pathogenic microorganism belongs to a large group of herpes viruses. Its name is explained by the way it affects the cells of the body. As soon as viral particles enter healthy cells, they begin to actively multiply in them. And the cell itself becomes unusually large in size. A similar condition in science is known as cytomegaly. According to doctors, the prevalence of the virus is wide. According to the most rough estimates, by the age of 40, more than half of the fair sex is infected with the disease. The virus can be primary and recurrent. It is believed that the first option is the most dangerous for the body. However, if the immunity of the fair sex is defined as strong, she has nothing to be afraid of. Even with a primary disease, the symptoms will subside in a short time, and then disappear completely. The fair sex should be careful during pregnancy.
At this time, the pathogen is especially dangerous not so much for the mother herself, but for the fetus developing in her body. In some cases, CMV infection during pregnancy is an indication for its artificial interruption.
Causes of pathology
CMV- a pathogenic agent with a low degree of contagiousness, i.e. ability to infect healthy people. For infection to occur, it is necessary to have additional factors that affect the female body.
These include:
- reduced immunity as a result of exposure to other infections
- the presence of chronic inflammatory processes in the body
- the presence of decompensated chronic pathologies, which always negatively affect the general state of health
- exposure to too intense heat or, conversely, cold
- insufficient or simply malnutrition
- ignoring the rules of personal hygiene, etc.
According to doctors, many women believe that they can only become infected with cytomegalovirus through sexual contact. This opinion is wrong. The pathogen can be transmitted not only through sexual contact. Although they lead to infection in a significant number of cases. The spread of viral particles is also possible by contact-household, airborne droplets.
The infection poses a danger to the fetus, which means that a vertical transmission route is possible. It is impossible to exclude the possibility of transmission of the virus during blood transfusions, performing surgical or cosmetic operations with a violation of the integrity of the skin.
Typical symptoms
The symptoms of CMV infection in the fair sex vary considerably. In most cases, a woman does not make any complaints about her condition at all. She has absolutely no negative symptoms. This is due to the fact that once in the body, the virus "falls asleep". To activate it, special circumstances are necessary, always associated with a decrease in immunity. Vivid symptoms appear just in the event that CMV is activated in the body and begins to actively infect cells.
A representative of the fair sex may complain about the following changes in her condition:
- a fever with a high temperature appears, which is very difficult to get rid of even with the use of special medications
- there are complaints of weakness, rapid loss of working capacity, fatigue
- lymph nodes accessible for palpation change their size to a larger one
- pain in the muscular system
- possible complaints of pain in the throat
- sometimes the skin becomes covered with a rash that resembles that of chickenpox
- appetite decreases, there is a gradual weight loss.
All these symptoms resemble the flu or SARS. Naturally, without special diagnostics, it is not only impossible to make an accurate diagnosis, but it is completely impossible. This must be remembered.
Forms of the disease
To facilitate the process of diagnosis by doctors, a classification system for CMV has been developed. The most important thing in this system is the classification of the virus by how actively it flows.
Allocate:
- latent form characterized by the complete absence of any symptoms;
- subclinical form a disease that is characterized by non-specific symptoms that do not allow a diagnosis or even to suggest it;
- clinical form, which has a fairly bright, but still similar to other diseases, symptoms;
- sepsis form, which is characterized by involvement in the pathological process of all organs and systems due to the circulation of a large number of viral particles in the blood.
The clinical form of CMV can be acute, subacute or chronic.
- acute form characterized by vivid symptoms, a strong decrease in performance, severe fever.
- At subacute form symptoms are usually erased, as in chronic. This is explained by a less active immune response to the presence of viral particles in the body.
Features of diagnostics
Often women wonder how to determine the presence of CMV. Once it is done, focusing only on the symptoms, it is impossible. Doctors carry out, if an infection is suspected, a number of special diagnostic measures. The process of making a diagnosis always begins with a conversation with the patient. The doctor clarifies the complaints, is interested in the general condition.
He asks when exactly the infection could supposedly have occurred. Examination of objective information for making a diagnosis will not give, therefore it may not be performed. In exceptional cases, it is possible to detect a rash on the skin, but its presence is not necessary. Laboratory methods play an important role in the diagnosis.
- performing a general blood test, which will determine the increased content of leukocytes
- isolation of viral particles in special cell-type cultures
- performing studies of the cytological type, light microscopy, which allows you to determine the enlarged cells
- performing an ELISA is an important part of a diagnostic search, which makes it possible to detect antibodies to the virus in the bloodstream and even draw conclusions about the duration of the disease.
It is important to remember that a healthy body produces antibodies in response to contact with a virus. It is necessary to be wary if there was definitely contact with viral particles, and there are no antibodies or there are too many of them, and the woman is pregnant.
Possible Complications
Often at a doctor's appointment, the question is about how dangerous cytomegalovirus is for women. If the fair sex has good health and strong immunity, she may not be afraid of the negative effects of this pathogen. CMV poses a serious danger to those women who have reduced immunity.
The risk group usually includes:
- of the fair sex on immunosuppressive therapy
- women with cancer
- HIV-infected women
- those who have undergone organ transplants.
These women are at risk. When infected with CMV, they may experience inflammation of the lungs, brain, hepatitis, and intestinal pathologies. We must not forget that the virus is not safe for pregnant women. It may not affect the fair sex itself, but it affects the fetus.
If the infection occurred in the early stages, irreversible changes develop in the fetal body, They lead to deformities, intrauterine death. Because of this, women during pregnancy should be especially careful about the risk of CMV infection.
Treatment of cytomegalovirus in women is a difficult task. After infection, it is impossible to completely remove the virus from the body. However, it can be driven into a dormant state, when it does not pose a threat even to pregnant women.
For this use:
- Foscarnet or Ganciclovir with anticytomegalovirus activity
- interferon-based antiviral drugs that help the body fight the infectious process
- symptomatic medicines to help cope with fever, eliminate rhinitis and sore throat, alleviate the general condition
- immunoglobulins - special particles that also contribute to the activation of immunity and more active destruction of viral particles, etc.
Their task is to support the immune system in the fight against an unpleasant disease. CMV is a low-contagious, but quite dangerous virus under certain circumstances. It is bad if a woman neglects the symptoms that indicate infection with him, without seeking help from a doctor. She may face unpredictable complications in the future. To avoid this, it is recommended to contact the hospital for help in a timely manner!