Cytomegalovirus infection in England and Wales: 1992 and 1993

Cytomegalovirus causes illness through primary infection but also remains latent within the host and may be reactivated, especially if immunity is impaired. We have examined reports of cytomegalovirus infection from laboratories in England and Wales received by the PHLS Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre in 1992 and 1993. A total of 2938 reports were received, and 103 people had recurrent infections within the study period. The age distribution had peaks in infants (< 1 year of age) and in people aged 25 to 34 years. In almost a half of the patients (1371; 49%) factors were reported that indicated impaired immunity. Eighty-three of the 103 with recurrent infection (81%) were also reported to have impaired immunity. Children under 5 years accounted for 18% (543/2938) of reports. There were 930 reports of infections in people over 5 years of age who were not reported as immunocompromised. The data presented confirm that cytomegalovirus causes substantial morbidity in young children and people with impaired immunity. Cytomegalovirus infection causes considerable morbidity, especially hepatic, in patients whose immunity is thought to be normal.