An Orillia woman is on a mission to spread awareness about the leading infectious cause of birth defects.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus that can be passed on through contact with body fluids including saliva, breast milk, blood, urine, and feces, and through sex. Infected mothers can pass congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) onto their fetus.
Rylea Bromley, a registered nurse at Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, says one in four children will catch CMV before daycare age. It is also common for adults to contract it.
"When you are affected by it, you might not know," she said. "You may have very minor symptoms, but if you are a transplant patient or a baby, then it can be detrimental."
In 2021, it's assumed Bromley was infected with cCMV and passed it to her son, Jasper. She then learned the virus could cause babies to develop disabilities such as cerebral palsy and seizure disorders.
"When Jasper was born, we knew for certain that he had hearing loss," Bromley said. "He had an MRI that showed complications with his brain, but what that meant, we didn't know."
For a year following his birth, Jasper saw several specialists and doctors to monitor his development.
"So far, the main thing for him seems to be hearing loss," Bromley said. "Certain things in terms of behavioural make us think it's the cCMV, but we'll never know."
She says many people, even in the health-care profession, aren't aware of CMV.
"My own doctor knew very little about it," she said. "One of the things CMV can cause is microcephaly, like Zika."
She says it's important for parents to avoid having their children come into contact with saliva from their peers and siblings.
"That's where it's passed along. You don't want to share utensils, being mindful of washing your hands and being mindful of diapers," she said.
CMV can be fatal, and Bromley has met other mothers who have lost their children to the virus.
"It seems extreme," she said, "but when you talk to somebody who lost their child, they would certainly go back and take those precautions if they knew about it."
She encourages everyone to learn more about CMV and the steps CMV Canada is taking to find a vaccine.
"If you know somebody who is pregnant, tell them about it," she said. "Word of mouth is huge."
Funding is important to the cause of curing the virus, and donations can be made here.
"Funding gives the ability for more research and gets more awareness out there," Bromley said.
