Seroprevalence of Cytomegalovirus among Women of Reproductive Age in Iran: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) able to cause infection for an entire lifetime. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine seroprevalence of CMV among women of reproductive age in Iran. METHODS: English and Persian databases such as Web of Science (WOS), PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, SID, Iran doc, Iran Medex, Magiran, and Medlib were searched (from 2008 to 2017) accurately using the keywords: Cytomegalovirus, Pregnant women or Pregnancy, Epidemiology, Prevalence and Iran. RESULTS: Results of 15 studies with total samples of 5253 persons from 2008 to 2017 were combined and meta-analyzed. The pooled prevalence rate of IgG among women was estimated 90% (95% CI: 87–93%). The highest prevalence rate of IgG was in Tehran, Rasht, Mashhad and Yasoj, all 100% (95% CI: 100–100%), and the lowest prevalence was in Jahrom 0.62% (95% CI: 53–71%). The overall prevalence rate of IgM among women was estimated at 0.06% (95% CI: 0.03–0.13%). The highest prevalence rate of IgM was in Kerman 0.34% (95% CI: 0.29–0.39%) and Mashhad 0.25% (95% CI: 0.2–0.31%), and the lowest prevalence was in Yasoj 0% (95% CI: 0.00%–0.00%) CONCLUSION: The prevalence of immunity in Iran, is satisfactory. Nevertheless, to maintain and increase the level of immunity across the country, it is necessary to routinely screen the women of reproductive ages across the country.