Abstract
Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that belongs to the herpes viruses' family. It is a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) virus. Once the virus gets to access the fetus's body, it starts attacking the nervous system. This has been connected with early-pregnancy abortions or congenital defects while almost one-third demise. Objectives: Clinical practitioners fail to convey this knowledge to the public to improve their awareness. Therefore, in this paper, we will review the available literature discussing the classification, clinical features, and management of CMV infection to print a concise picture of this important disease that will provide practitioners with a clear picture of this issue. Methodology: We conducted the literature search within the PubMed database using the keywords: "Cytomegalovirus", "Prenatal infection", "Fetal infection", "Congenital infection", "Fetal diagnosis", "CMV prevention", and "CMV hyperimmune globulin" from 1990 to 2020. Review: The incidence of noncongenital CMV infection in the developed world reaches almost 3 in every 10 completed pregnancies. Almost one-fifth of a newborn with a congenital CMV infection are symptomatic at birth. The gold standard diagnostic test for congenital CMV is viral isolation in the bodily fluid (e.g. urine and/or saliva) within the first three weeks of life. There are no effective therapies for CMV infections. Conclusion: Clinicians need to be aware of the importance of educating pregnant women on the dangers of CMV infections and be actively vigilant for identifying CMV infection in fetuses and infants.