[1][2] The chance of infection is reduced by hand washing, and avoiding touching saliva or urine of very young children.

For this group, which makes up 50% to 80% of the women of child-bearing age, the rate of newborn CMV infection is 1%, and these infants appear to have no significant illness or abnormalities.

However, infants born preterm and infected with CMV after birth (especially via breastmilk[8]) may experience cognitive and motor impairments later in life.

Considering that the CMV virus is present in saliva, urine, tears, blood, mucus, and other bodily fluids, frequent hand washing with soap and water is important after contact with diapers or oral secretions, especially with a child who is in daycare or interacting with other young children on a regular basis.

[citation needed] A diagnosis of congenital CMV infection can be made if the virus is found in an infant's urine, saliva, blood, or other body tissues during the first week after birth.

Antibody tests cannot be used to diagnose congenital CMV; a diagnosis can only be made if the virus is detected during the first week of life.

[17] Most healthy people working with infants and children face no special risk from CMV infection.

Since CMV is transmitted through contact with infected body fluids, including urine and saliva, child care providers (meaning day care workers, special education teachers, as well as mothers) should be educated about the risks of CMV infection and the precautions they can take.

[citation needed] Recommendations for individuals providing care for infants and children: Worldwide, approximately 1 in 100 to 500 babies are born with congenital CMV.

Due to the lower seroprevalence of HCMV in industrialized countries and higher socioeconomic groups, congenital infections are actually less common in poorer communities, where more women of child-bearing age are already seropositive.

[20] Between 10 and 15% of infected fetuses are then born with symptoms,[5] which may include pneumonia, gastrointestinal, retinal and neurological disease.

[23][24][25] Other sources of neonatal infection are bodily fluids which are known to contain high titres in shedding individuals: saliva (<107copies/ml) and urine (<105copies/ml )[26][27] seem common routes of transmission.