# OCCUPATIONAL RISK OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF IOWA · 1993 · $265,498

## Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, the most commonly recognized congenital
viral infection among humans, can severely damage the nervous system of
the developing fetus.  Several studies, including those of the co-
investigators', have shown that CMV frequently infects young children in
group day care.  Parents of such children appear to be at significant
risk of CMV acquisition.  In addition, our preliminary studies suggest
that women who work with young children in group day care may also be at
risk.  These observations indicate that children in group day care who
excrete CMV may significantly influence the epidemiology of congenital
CMV infection.

In this proposal we will extend our ongoing studies regarding the
epidemiology of CMV infection among seronegative women who have contact
with young children.  We intend to test the hypothesis that the incidence
of congenital CMV infection is increased among the offspring of mothers
and/or caretakers of children in group day care.

We will determine 1) whether maternal contact with a child in day care is
a significant risk factor for delivering a CMV-infected infant and
whether CMV infection, in this instance, is the result of vertical
transmission from child to mother to fetus; 2) whether the occurrence of
symptomatic congenital CMV infection is influenced by the high prevalence
of CMV infection among children in group day care; and 3) whether the
risk of CMV infection is increased among day care providers compared with
controls.  This will be accomplished be determining the incidence of
congenital CMV infection (assessed by CMV viruria) among 15,000 Iowa
newborns over a 5 year period and relating congenital infection to
parental contact with a child in day care.  Transmission will be assessed
by restriction enzyme analysis of CMV isolates from parents, sibling, and
caretakers.  The Iowa Birth Defects Registry will be used to identify
infants/children with suspected symptomatic congenital CMV infants to
parental contact with children in day care will be assessed via
questionnaire.  The rates of seroconversion among two groups of day care
providers will be assessed via serial serologic examinations using a
passive latex agglutination method.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2198454
- **Project number:** 5R01HD022136-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
- **SAM.gov UEI:** Z1H9VJS8NG16
- **Principal Investigator:** JODY R MURPH
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1993
- **Award amount:** $265,498
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1986-02-01 → 1995-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2198454

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2198454, OCCUPATIONAL RISK OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION (5R01HD022136-08). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2198454. Licensed CC0.

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