Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common viral infection that infects people of all ages. More than half of adults have been infected with CMV by age 40.
Most people infected with CMV show no signs or symptoms. It rarely causes disease in healthy people. When it does cause disease, the symptoms vary depending on the patient's age and immune status.
Infection in healthy people can cause mild illness that may include:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Swollen glands
Infants born with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) may have birth defects or develop long-term health problems. cCMV is a leading cause of hearing loss and other birth defects in the United States.
Learn more:
- cCMV in Newborns: Prevention, screening, and treatment
- CMV fact sheet, P-42042: Transmission, signs and symptoms, exposure, prevention
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) CMV information
Provider information
Starting May 5, 2026, congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection and disease among Wisconsin infants less than 1 year of age are reportable to DHS, in accordance with standardized surveillance case definitions, BCD Memo 2026-04, Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection And Disease Is Now A Reportable Condition In Wisconsin (PDF).
cCMV is a Wisconsin disease surveillance category II disease:
- Report to the patient's local public health department electronically, through the Wisconsin Electronic Disease Surveillance System (WEDSS), by mail or fax using Acute and Communicable Disease case report, F-44151 (Word) or by other means within 72 hours upon recognition of a case.
- Information on communicable disease reporting
Wisconsin case reporting and public health follow-up guidelines
- Congenital Cytomegalovirus, P-03777 (PDF): Case Reporting and Investigation Protocol (EpiNet)
Questions about CMV? Contact us!
Phone: 608-267-9003 | Fax: 608-261-4976