Recurrent Cytomegalovirus Infection Prevalence and Risk Factors

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a beta herpes virus that can infect several organs. It is transmitted through infected body secretions, blood, and organ allografts, and is considered as the leading infectious reason of mortality and morbidity in organ transplantation. It is also the most important cause of infectious disease after kidney transplantation.3 Cytomegalovirus infection is defined according to the American Society of Transplantation’s recommendations for use in clinical trials as evidence of CMV replication without any symptoms. The existence of CMV symptoms, which can be characterized as a viral syndrome (fever, malaise, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia) or as a tissue invasive disease confirmed the diagnosis of CMV disease. In addition, recurrent CMV infection is defined as new detection of CMV infection in a patients that has had previously documented CMV infection.