Reuters Article: Congenital CMV

Reuters recently published an article about the #1 viral cause of birth defects, congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus). See "Mom's infection raises risk of infant hearing loss" at http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4BM4RV20081223

I am the mother of a daughter disabled by congenital CMV. I was never warned how to prevent contracting this virus even though it is a more common cause of disabilities than Down syndrome. I am the parent rep for the Congenital CMV Foundation and spoke at the international 2008 Congenital CMV Conference at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. I would like to see OB/GYNs warn their patients about CMV and teach them the CDC’s recommendations for avoiding it (careful handwashing, being cautious around the saliva of young children, etc). If people are interested in learning more about my daughter's life with congenital CMV; a big, homeless dog's devotion to her, and the latest news on CMV prevention and treatment, they can view the National Congenital CMV Disease Registry's special edition of my humorous memoir, “Anything But a Dog! The perfect pet for a girl with congenital CMV,” on http://www.unlimitedpublishing.com/cmv/ If copies are purchased through that link, a percent of the profits are donated to congenital CMV research and parent support.

Lisa Saunders
Suffern, New York
www.authorlisasaunders.com