Cytomegalovirus - immunocompromised host

The symptoms of CMV infection are similar to those of mononucleosis. In fact, in a small percentage of people with mononucleosis, CMV is the cause. The symptoms of primary CMV infection are:

• Fatigue
• General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
• Joint stiffness
• Loss of appetite
• Muscle aches or joint pain
• Night sweats
• Prolonged fever
• Sore throat
• Swelling of the lymph nodes
• Weakness
• Weight loss

In immunocompromised people, CMV can attack specific organs. The major symptoms of these organ-specific infections are:

Eye:

• Blindness
• Floaters in the eye
• Visual impairment

Lung:

• Pneumonia with impaired oxygen uptake (hypoxia)

Gastrointestinal:

• Diarrhea
• Swallowing difficulties or pain
• Ulcerations with bleeding

Brain:

• Coma
• Encephalitis with behavioral changes
• Seizures

Blood and urine tests can detect and measure substances specific to CMV. A tissue biopsy is often required to be certain of the diagnosis (except in the eye or nervous system).

Images

Antibodies

CMV (cytomegalovirus)

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CMV Treatment

Review Date: 12/01/2009
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)