CMV Explained

Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is widely distributed in the general population, with 50–80% of all adults are CMV carriers.^4,5 

Although CMV infections are usually asymptomatic in healthy individuals, they can cause life-threatening complications in immunocompromised patients, particularly transplant patients.^1,4,6,7

CMV is associated with significantly decreased survival in solid organ transplantation⁸ and after stem cell transplantation.⁹

• Recipients of lung transplants are at highest risk of CMV infection and disease^1,6
• Intense immunosuppression required after heart or lung transplantation places these recipients at particularly high risk for CMV events¹⁰
• CMV infections are usually asymptomatic, but can cause life-threatening complications in immunocompromised individuals^1,6,9
• Kidney recipients have the lowest risk, but up to a third experience episodes of CMV infection after transplantation¹
• CMV reactivation occurs in up to 80% of CMV-seropositive recipients (R+) independently of donor serostatus²

References:
1. Snydman DR, et al. Transplant Proc. 2011;43(3 Suppl):S1–17.
2. Ljungman P, et al. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2011;25(1):151–69.
3. Walker CM, et al. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2007;13(9):1106–15.
4. Lachmann R, et al. PLoS One. 2018;13(7):e0200267.
5. Adland E, et al. Front Microbiol. 2015;6:1016.
6. Razonable RR, Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2013;27(2):317–42.
7. Kotton CN, et al. Transplantation. 2018;102(6):900–31.
8. Desai R, et al. Transplantation. 2015;99(9):1989–94.
9. Schmidt-Hieber M, et al. Blood. 2013;122(19):3359–64.
10. Grossi P, et al. Transplantation. 2016;100(Suppl 3):S1–4.