A recent study has warned all the pregnant women to avoid eating children's leftovers and the reason will shock you! A child's leftover eaten by a pregnant woman may infect the unborn child with a 'stealth virus' and may also affect the baby's hearing abilities, as per reports by Daily Mail. The virus called the Cytomegalovirus aka CMV can be transmitted through a child's saliva. It can spread through kissing, sharing food, etc. St George's University of London's experts believes that one must not come into contact with the saliva of a young child to avoid letting the virus entry into the system as young kid's saliva can act as a bridge for the CMV to travel. Pregnancy Tips, Here Are Dietician-Recommended Healthy Foods Mothers-to-Be Must Add in Their Diet.

Kissing directly on the lips of the kids or eating their leftover should be avoided by pregnant women. It is claimed by the study that coming in contact with the virus can put the unborn baby at the risk of deafness and other developmental issues. It may also lead to Cerebral Palsy. The reports say that about1,000 babies are affected by CMV in a year and about one in five babies infected with CMV had health issues in the longer run. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine or screening available for the CVM virus that can severe health issues. Heart Diseases During Pregnancy? Expert Explains How To-Be Mothers Can Prevent Cardiac Problems. 

What Is CMV?

A common herpesvirus infection that can cause a wide range of symptoms and can even affect the organs like eyes, brain, or other internal organs. A study describes the virus as ' Human cytomegalovirus infections commonly are associated with the salivary glands. CMV infection may be asymptomatic in healthy people, but they can be life-threatening in an immunocompromised patient. Congenital cytomegalovirus infection can cause morbidity and even death. After infection, CMV often remains latent, but it can reactivate at any time. Eventually, it causes mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and it may be responsible for prostate cancer.'

The study further says, 'CMV infects between 60% to 70% of adults in industrialized countries and close to 100% in emerging countries. Of all herpes viruses, CMV harbors the largest number of genes dedicated to evading innate and adaptive immunity in the host. CMV represents a lifelong burden of antigenic T-cell surveillance and immune dysfunction. Congenital CMV is a leading infectious cause of deafness, learning disabilities, and intellectual disability.'

In terms of the treatment, there are several antiviral agents that have been approved for the treatment of CMV. The study says, 'Immunocompetent patients present with minimal or no symptoms and are self-limited and do not require specific therapy other than symptomatic management. However, antiviral therapy should be considered in severe cases of CMV mononucleosis, CMV infection and CMV disease in immunocompromised patients.'

(Reference study: Cytomegalovirus William G. Gossman; Steve S. Bhimji. )

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 14, 2018 05:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).