This past Saturday, December 4^th, Jeff and Christine Titus enjoyed a lovely evening while attending Cocktails for a cause:  STOP CMV, hosted by Doug and Casey Famigletti of New Canaan, Connecticut. 

CMV (cytomegalovirus) is a virus that affects fetal organs. It’s the most common congenital (present at birth) infection in the United States. “Each year, about 40,000 babies are born with CMV infection. Luckily, the virus does not harm most of them. But about 4,000 of these babies develop mental retardation, learning disabilities, hearing loss, vision loss, or other disabilities as a result of CMV infection” www.marchofdimes.com.  In most cases, the pregnant mother acquires this virus through contact with small children, even possibly her own children.

 “More children have disabilities due to congenital CMV (cytomegalovirus) than other well-known infections and syndromes, including Down Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Spina Bifida, and Pediatric HIV/AIDS. In a recent survey of women in the United States, only 22% had heard of CMV, compared with 97% who had heard of Down Syndrome and 98% who had heard of HIV/AIDS. A more recent study found that only 14% of women in the United States had heard of CMV…”  For further information, please visit http://www.stopcmv.org.

 Please join all of us at Titus Built in spreading the awareness of congenital CMV… Pass it on… Let’s get this virus stopped!