Transmission of cytomegalovirus in the Gambia

One hundred and seventy-eight Gambian women in their late 3rd trimestrer plus babies born to them; and later on some 11 randomly selected CMV positive and 11 CMV negative infants with their mothers and siblings; were examinated serologically; and virologically for the evidence of cytomegalovirus infection with a view to determining who is infecting who and how; in this community. There was significant correlation between CMV positive infants and CMV infection in their siblings; whereas there was no such correlation between these infants and their CMV positive mothers