Pregnant family members and teachers/caregivers who expect to have contact with their own or other children who receive care in group care settings should consult with their health professionals about the risk, although low, to the fetus if the pregnant mother is infected with parvovirus. These women should understand the risk to their unborn child and ways to reduce that risk. At enrollment, the program should explain the importance of hand hygiene to reduce the risk of sharing infections for children, staff, and family members. Contact with their own young children who are enrolled in group care increases the risk of exposure of women to parvovirus that may cause problems for their unborn child, if they are pregnant.
To alert health professionals responsible for the health assessment of staff members of childbearing age to the need of their patient to be counseled about parvovirus risk, early education/child care center directors/administrators should be sure parvovirus risk assessment and counseling are items that are addressed on the staff health assessment form. In addition, it may be helpful for directors/ administrators to attach this Quick Reference Sheet and the Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection Quick Reference Sheet to the note in the box below to alert health professionals to increased risk of exposure to the unborn child if the woman is infected during her pregnancy. Health professionals are not necessarily aware of the increased exposure to these viruses for women who work with young children in child care settings.
Dear Health Professional:
Your patient works in a setting where she has contact with young children in groups. Human parvovirus B19 and cytomegalovirus (CMV) occur commonly and are often asymptomatic among young children. Exposure of a woman who lacks immunity to human parvovirus B19 and CMV during pregnancy poses some risk to her fetus. Please discuss with your patient her childbearing intentions and whether she might want to consider the following risk-reduction measures when she might become pregnant:
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Conscientious handwashing after any contact with saliva, urine, or blood
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Care of children who are older than 3 years
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Working in a role other than direct care of young children
About Serologic Testing
Because different strains of CMV circulate among young children, especially those in group care, a serologic test for CMV informs about risk but does not completely guarantee immunity from exposure to novel strains. However, a serologic test for human parvovirus B19 is a reliable indicator of immunity.