Cytomegalovirus infection.

Interest has focused on cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections during recent years for two reasons: First, the number of immunocompromised patients with CMV infections has risen continuously and, secondly, recent advances in basic research have clarified some of the mechanisms of persistent and recurrent CMV infection. Three different clinical pictures can arise with CMV infection. In healthy individuals most of the CMV infections are not clinically apparent. In immunocompromised patients CMV causes a wide spectrum of diseases and is one of the predominant causes of death in AIDS patients and bone marrow transplant recipients. The most important problem for public health associated with CMV are connatal and perinatal CMV infections. Progress has been made with treatment of CMV infection in immunocompromised patients with inhibitors of viral replication.