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.
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