Finding a vaccine for Cytomegalovirus
“Cyto…what??”, I hear you say! Cytomegalovirus, or CMV for short, is a common viral infection that often goes unnoticed or causes mild flu-like symptoms. But it can be very dangerous in pregnancy. If the mother contracts the virus, she can pass it onto her unborn baby, with devastating consequences. Congenital CMV is one of the leading causes of birth defects around the world and can cause long-term disabilities, hearing loss, or even death.
When Lacy Swan's daughter failed her newborn hearing screening, she had never even heard of CMV, but unfortunately she would soon learn a lot more about the virus - click here to view her personal experience.
Sadly, there is no prevention or cure for CMV, and our best defence against this virus would be a vaccine of which there is none…YET! But in 2022, we began recruiting for CMVictory, which aims to learn more about the safety and effectiveness of a potential CMV vaccine. Earlier research has shown this vaccine to be effective and well tolerated, and infortmation gained from this study will help researchers develop a CMV vaccine to be given pregnancy, similar to maternal whooping cough and influenza vaccines.
We are currently looking for women aged between 16-40 years who are not planning a pregnancy in the next 10 months to take part in CMVictory. Initially, there is a screening visit to determine eligibility and, if eligible, study involvement is for approximately two-and-a-half years and involves clinic visits at Perth Children's Hospital, three randomly assigned vaccines and some blood and urine samples.
Anyone wanting more information about this study is encouraged to call our study team on 0400 450 240 or email us at CMVictory@telethonkids.org.au.