Clinical Significance

CMV PCR identifies the presence of CMV DNA supporting diagnosis of an active or current CMV infection. 

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a viral pathogen belonging to the herpes virus family found ubiquitously in communities worldwide. In immunocompetent hosts, infections with CMV are often asymptomatic but primary lytic infection can present as an acute mononucleosis-like syndrome. Once acquired, CMV usually persists as a lifelong latent infection that may reactivate intermittently. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the myeloid lineage (but not lymphocytes) and endothelial cells appear to be the major sites of CMV infection. CMV remains in a latent stage in monocytes/macrophages in humans. Latently infected individuals may asymptomatically shed the virus in their body fluids (e.g., urine, saliva) and thus infect others. Immunocompromised individuals, including neonates, transplant recipients, and AIDS patients, are at high risk for developing severe primary CMV infections or reactivations of latent CMV that lead to a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Severe manifestations of CMV disease include retinitis, polyradiculopathy, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, encephalitis, esophagitis, enterocolitis, pancreatitis, nephritis, donor organ rejection, pneumonitis, and CMV viral syndrome.