Cytomegalovirus transmission in special-care centers for mentally retarded children.

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether special-care centers for mentally retarded children are high-risk settings for cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission. Serum and urine specimens obtained from 311 mentally retarded children aged 3 to 12 in three centers were compared for CMV seropositivity and CMV viruria with specimens from 360 normal children of the same ages. A seropositivity rate of 73.5% and a viruria rate of 8.7% were found among the children attending special-care centers. These rates were significantly higher than the 59.2% seropositivity and 1.7% viruria found among normal children. By logistic regression analysis, it was shown that the prevalence of CMV viruria in the class/center was one of the most important determinants for acquiring CMV infection. The data suggest that acquisition of CMV from playmates or classmates occurs frequently in special-care centers and that horizontal transmission of virus is the most plausible explanation for the higher prevalence of CMV infection among mentally retarded children.