cytomegalovirus

noun

cy·​to·​meg·​a·​lo·​vi·​rus ˌsī-tə-ˌme-gə-lō-ˈvī-rəs 

1

: a herpesvirus (species Human herpesvirus 5 of the genus Cytomegalovirus) that in healthy individuals causes an infection that is asymptomatic or is accompanied by mild symptoms (such as fever or fatigue) but in immunocompromised individuals and newborns may cause an infection marked by serious, sometimes life-threatening symptoms (such as pneumonia, hepatitis, retinitis, brain inflammation, or seizures)

2

: infection with or disease caused by the cytomegalovirus

—abbreviation CMV

Examples of cytomegalovirus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Further testing revealed that the patient had a recent cytomegalovirus infection, which can also damage the liver and may have contributed to the outcome. —William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

Tests after the transplant found some DNA from a pig cytomegalovirus in his blood. —Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025

She was born with a cytomegalovirus infection, or congenital CMV, and died following complications from surgery. —Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025

And cytomegaloviruses might help defend us against skin cancer. —Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from cytomegalia + -o- + virus

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for cytomegalovirus

• adenovirus
• baculovirus
• coronavirus
• enterovirus
• poliovirus
• antivirus
• herpesvirus
• parvovirus
• reovirus
• retrovirus
• rhinovirus
• rotavirus

Medical Definition

cytomegalovirus

noun

cy·​to·​meg·​a·​lo·​vi·​rus ˌsīt-ə-ˌmeg-ə-lō-ˈvī-rəs 

1

: a herpesvirus (species Human herpesvirus 5 of the genus Cytomegalovirus) that in healthy individuals causes an infection that is asymptomatic or is accompanied by mild symptoms (as fever or fatigue) but in immunocompromised individuals and newborns may cause an infection marked by serious, sometimes life-threatening symptoms (as pneumonia, hepatitis, retinitis, brain inflammation, or seizures)

Note: Cytomegalovirus is transmitted chiefly in infected body fluids and secretions (such as urine or saliva) and causes enlargement of infected cells and formation of inclusion bodies.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a DNA herpesvirus with more than 200 genes, is a giant among viruses.

—Bernard Roizman, Science

Her vision was failing at that point from CMV, cytomegalovirus, a common and usually harmless bug that can turn vicious in AIDS cases.

—Peter Goldman and Lucille Beachy, Newsweek

Ganciclovir and foscarnet can be used to treat respiratory tract infections caused by cytomegalovirus in immunocompromised adults.

—Harvey B. Simon, Scientific American Medicine

2

: infection with or disease caused by the cytomegalovirus

Many of recent patients had also been treated for viral inflections such as herpes, cytomegalovirus and hepatitis B, as well as parasitic infections such as amoebiasis and giardiasis, the CDC said.

—The Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union

Cytomegalovirus retinitis can cause retinal detachment and these patients may complain of floaters, flashing lights, or loss of vision, although the onset of vision loss in these patients tends to occur more suddenly and can be described as a "curtain coming down over the eye."

—Scott M. Whitcup, The Journal of the American Medical Association

—abbreviation CMV