Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of a group of herpes-type viruses that can cause an infection of the lungs in immune-suppressed persons. This infection is particularly common in solid organ transplant and bone marrow transplant recipients.

Infection with CMV is very common. The majority of healthy adults have antibodies (an indication of previous infection) to CMV in their blood.

Usually CMV produces no symptoms, but serious CMV infections can occur in people with impaired immunity, such as those with AIDS, an organ transplant, or  bone marrow transplant, and people receiving chemotherapy or other immunosuppressive treatments.

CMV disease is a common complication of organ transplantation. CMV pneumonia occurs in 20% of bone marrow transplant recipients. Risk of infection is greatest from 5-13 weeks after transplantation.

Complications of CMV infection in individuals with AIDS include: an infectious, mononucleosis-like illness (CMV mononucleosis); CMV pneumonia; inflammation of the retina (CMV retinitis); and intestinal disease. In addition, CMV may increase the replication of HIV in infected individuals.

CMV pneumonia is associated with fever, a non-productive cough, and shortness of breath (dyspnea). Decreased oxygen levels in the blood (hypoxemia) in association with CMV pneumonia often predicts the patient will die, especially when mechanical ventilation is required.

• cough
• shortness of breath
• shortness of breath on exertion
• fever
• general discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
• loss of appetite
• fatigue
• sweating, excessive (night sweats)
• muscle aches or joint pains

• urine culture (clean catch)
• blood culture
• CMV serology by IFA
• bronchoscopy with biopsy, stains, and culture for CMV
• chest x-ray
• arterial blood gas
• CMV PCR - a test to detect the presence of and amount of CMV in the blood
• CMV antigenemia - a test to detect viral particles on the surface of white blood cells (this can tell you if the virus is actively replicating in the body, or simply present in a dormant state)