June 2017

CMV awareness is dangerously low as compared to other congenital diseases

Even though congenital CMV is the leading viral cause of congenital disabilities and the leading non-genetic cause of childhood hearing loss, most adults have never heard of it. 

The CDC Releases New CMV Materials

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released two new resources for health care professionals about congenital CMV in June 2017, National CMV Awareness Month. The information sheets, produced and published by the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), provide much needed information for healthcare providers who work with two distinct populations affected by congenital CMV—pregnant women and their newborns. 

​Key Observations from the 2017 International CMV Conference

Approximately 300 of the world’s leading experts in CMV-related research came together in the Netherlands on April 30th for the 6th International CMV Conference (16th International CMV/betaherpesvirus Workshop). This event aims to connect basic science and clinical expertise research to prevent and cure CMV diseases. Several trusted advisors to the National CMV Foundation and members of our Research Priorities Committee attended and presented on current studies and recent findings. 

Meet the Founders: Kristen Hutchinson Spytek

Kristen is the current President of the National CMV Foundation. Read as she recounts her personal journey along with pertinent CMV information from her guest blog on MotherToBaby.org: "CMV. The Most Common Viral Infection Affecting Newborns That You've Never Heard About".

​National CMV Foundation Sponsors $45,000 CMV Research Award

The National CMV Foundation is excited to announce that it made its first research award in May 2017. Through the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society (PIDS), the foundation awarded a two-year, $45,000 fellowship award to Frances Saccoccio, MD, PhD. Dr. Saccoccio is a 2nd year pediatric infectious disease fellow at Duke University. She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicines’ combined MD/PhD Program and her dissertation and other research work has focused on congenital CMV vaccines.