Febrile Seizures. Association with HHV6 and CMV Infection?

Febrile seizures (FS) occur between the age of 1 and 60 months, with fever, are generalized and usually lasting less than 15 minutes. The etiology of FS is not known, although infections, immunizations and genetic susceptibility, all have been linked to an increased risk of FS. Herpes virus 6 (HHV6) and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) are neurotropic virus and remain latent after a primary infections. 10 to 50% of FS cases in children are associated with HHV6 primary infection. An association between FS and CMV infection has not been established.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Lower prevalence of congenital cytomegalovirus infection in Portugal: possible impact of COVID-19 lockdown?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most frequent cause of congenital infection all over the world. Its prevalence ranges from 0.2 to 2.2%. Transmission from children to their pregnant mothers is a well-known risk factor, particularly if they attend a childcare centre. This study aims to compare the prevalence of CMV congenital infection (CMV_CI) in Portugal (Lisbon) between two studies, performed respectively in 2019 and 2020. In the 2019 study, performed in two hospitals, we found a 0.67% CMV_CI prevalence, using a pool strategy previously tested with saliva samples. In the 2020 study, using the same pool approach in four hospitals (the previous and two additional), and based on 1277 samples, the prevalence was 0.078%.Conclusion: The close temporal coincidence with COVID-19 lockdown suggests that these measures may have had a significant impact on this reduction, although other explanations cannot be ruled-out. What is Known: • Cytomegalovirus is the leading cause of congenital infection. • Behavioural measures decrease cytomegalovirus seroconversion in pregnant women. What is New: • From 2019 to 2020 there was a significant reduction in the prevalence of congenital CMV infection.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio