Also called: CMV
Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Cytomegalovirus Infections
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a virus found around the world. It is related to the viruses that cause chickenpox and infectious mononucleosis (mono). Between 50% and 80% of adults in the United States have had a CMV infection by age 40. Once CMV is in a person's body, it stays there for life.
CMV is spread through close contact with body fluids. Most people with CMV don't get sick and don't know that they've been infected. But infection with the virus can be serious in babies and people with weak immune systems. If a woman gets CMV when she is pregnant, she can pass it on to her baby. Usually the babies do not have health problems. But some babies can develop lifelong disabilities.
A blood test can tell whether a person has ever been infected with CMV. Most people with CMV don't need treatment. If you have a weakened immune system, your doctor may prescribe antiviral medicine. Good hygiene, including proper hand washing, may help prevent infections.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
It sits within Infections.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Cytomegalovirus Infections
519 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- R-MVST Cells for Treatment of Viral Infections in Children and Young AdultsMonica Bhatia
- Multi-antigen CMV-MVA Triplex Vaccine in Reducing CMV Complications in Patients Previously Infected With CMV and Undergoing Donor Hematopoietic Cell TransplantCity of Hope Medical Center
- Letermovir for R+ StudyUniversity of Wisconsin, Madison
- The Natural History of Severe Viral Infections and Characterization of Immune Defects in Patients Without Known ImmunocompromiseNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- CMV-CMI in csCMVi After HSCTThe First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
- Evaluation of Safety and Efficacy of Virus Specific T-Cell Administration in Pediatric Patients With Systemic Viral Infection Following Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.LucasBio
Research already completed
- Clinical and Genetic Analysis of Enlarged Vestibular AqueductsNational Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
- Proportion of CMV Seropositive Kidney Transplant Recipients Who Will Develop a CMV Infection When Treated With an Immunosuppressive Regimen Including Everolimus and Reduced Dose of Cyclosporine Versus an Immunosuppressive Regimen With Mycophenolic Acid and Standard Dose of Cyclosporine AUniversity Hospital, Bordeaux
- A Study of Safety and Immune Response to Different Doses of a Cytomegalovirus Vaccine in Healthy AdultsGlaxoSmithKline
- A Safety Assessment of Oral Letermovir in Infants With Symptomatic Congenital CytomegalovirusNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
- Cytomegalovirus Infection in Patients With HIV-1 InfectionUniversity Hospital, Bordeaux
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- About CytomegalovirusCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) InfectionMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Diagnosis and Tests
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) TestsNational Library of Medicine
Related Issues
- Congenital CMV and Hearing LossCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Cytomegalovirus InfectionsNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Cytomegalovirus Infections. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Cytomegalovirus Infections, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.