Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) among pregnant women at a tertiary facility in southern Nigeria

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) also called human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) or human herpesvirus-5 (HHV-5) is an encapsulated double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) virus. It is an opportunistic virus which often remains latent and only become symptomatic in immune-suppressed individuals such as pregnant women, HIV/AIDS patients and other immune weakening disease conditions. It is also estimated to have an 86% global sero-prevalence among reproductive women.

Objectives: To determine the sero-prevalence of CMV infection, investigate the relationship between risk factors and CMV infection and to determine the relationship between obstetric characteristics and CMV infections among pregnant women.

Method: A cross-sectional study among a cross-section of pregnant women receiving ante-natal care in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital from August 2022 to December 2022. A structured pro forma data sheet was used as interviewer-administered questionnaire by medical personnel to collect data from the study participants. 5ml of blood was collected from each participant and assessed for the presence of anti-CMV IgG using commercial Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics (mean, median, frequency percentage and standard deviation), Chi-square test and Fischer’s exact test were used appropriately.

Results: Out of 101 respondents, only 24 (24%) were positive for CMV IgG, while 77 (76%) were negative. About 50% of the women were in their 3rd decade of life, while (3) were in the 4th decade of life. All the respondents were married and were Christians. Three quarters of the women [75(74.3%)] had tertiary education, 20 (19.8%) had secondary education, while 6 (5.9%) were Postgraduate students. Based on income, women with income < #50,000 (53.5%) were the most common. The relationship between demographic factors such as age, religion, income, educational level, employment status, marital status and CMV results were statistically insignificant. The relationship between obstetric characteristics and CMV results were not statistically significant, while risk factors for CMV and presence of CMV infection were not statistically significant as well.

Conclusion: The 24% sero-prevalence for CMV at University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital was quite low; however it can be reduced to the barest minimum, by encouraging intensive awareness campaigns about the virus and providing free serum testing to all categories of the population, since CMV affects all ages.