Cytomegalovirus infection of the fetus and neonate.

Human CMV infection, the most common virus infection of the fetus and neonate, can occur in utero as "congenital infection" or during the first weeks of life as "perinatal infection." Congenital infection presents either as clinically apparent or as silent infection. Perinatal CMV infection is a common form of CMV acquisition and produces minimal, if any, disease in the full-term infant. The relative occurrence of the viral syndromes in the population and means to prevent this infection are discussed.