Abstract
BackgroundPrimary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is prevalent worldwide and usually results in latency in immunocompetent populations. Reactivation of latent CMV can cause life-threatening complications in immunocompromised hosts.MethodsWe used the CMV Brite assay to test CMV antigenemia (pp65) in whole blood samples from 22,192 patients with or without autoimmune diseases in Beijing during 2008–2018.ResultsThe overall prevalence of CMV antigenemia was 19.5% (9.7%, males; 26.0%, females). The prevalence of CMV antigenemia was 35.1%, 58.6% and 11.4% in whole patients with autoimmune diseases, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and in patients with non-SLE autoimmune diseases, respectively. All patients with non-autoimmune diseases, patients with HIV/AIDS or transplantation were found to have 5.0%, 27% or 14.8%, respectively. Patients≤20 years with SLE had a significantly higher prevalence of CMV antigenemia than did all SLE patients, on average. Patients>51 years with non-SLE autoimmune diseases had a significantly higher prevalence than did all patients with non-SLE autoimmune diseases, on average. The prevalence of CMV antigenemia in patients admitted to intensive-care units (ICUs) were 9.2%, which was significantly higher than that among all patients with non-autoimmune diseases. Patients with SLE had 23.8% of negative conversion of CMV antigenemia, significantly lower than the percentage of patients with non-SLE autoimmune (64.3%) and non-autoimmune (61.0%) diseases. The mean number of days to negative conversion of CMV antigenemia in patients with SLE was 35.3±35.8 days, which was significantly longer than that in patients with non-SLE autoimmune diseases (15.4±11.9 days) and non-autoimmune diseases (13.6±7.7 days).ConclusionsCMV antigenemia is found more likely in women than in men, more prevalently in patients with SLE than those with HIV/AIDS or transplant recipients, more frequently in patients admitted to ICUs. Patients with SLE had prolonged CMV antigenemia. The role of CMV appears important in SLE.
Highlights
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the subfamily Betatheherpesviridae of the family Herpesviridae
The prevalence of CMV antigenemia in patients admitted to intensive-care units (ICUs) were 9.2%, which was significantly higher than that among all patients with non-autoimmune diseases
CMV antigenemia is found more likely in women than in men, more prevalently in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than those with HIV/AIDS or transplant recipients, more frequently in patients admitted to ICUs
Summary
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the subfamily Betatheherpesviridae of the family Herpesviridae. CMV infection in humans has a worldwide distribution, with seroprevalence varying from 45% to 100% in different geographic regions [1] The overall CMV seroprevalence in the adult population of Germany is 56.7% [2], and that among individuals aged 15–49 years in France is 41.9% [3]. Reactivation of CMV from latency can cause life-threatening complications if immunocompetent individuals, such as patients with AIDS, transplant recipients, patients admitted to intensive-care units (ICUs), or those with autoimmune diseases, become immunocompromised [9]. Reactivation of CMV in immunocompromised patients may be more common in China than in Western countries because of the high prevalence of previous CMV infection in China. Primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is prevalent worldwide and usually results in latency in immunocompetent populations. Reactivation of latent CMV can cause life-threatening complications in immunocompromised hosts
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