Postnatal Cytomegalovirus Infection of Preterm and Very-low-birth-weight Infants Through Maternal Breast Milk: Does It Matter?

Background: Postnatal infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) in very-preterm and very-low-birth-weight infants, transmitted through breast milk (BM), is potentially associated with adverse outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the incidence and clinical significance of postnatal CMV infection in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit.

Methods: Infants of CMV-seropositive mothers born in a neonatal intensive care unit in Melbourne, Australia, were observed for 14 weeks from birth in a prospective cohort study.