cytomegalovirus (CMV) /sī′tōmeg′əlōvī″rəs/ [Gk, kytos + megas, large; L, virus, poison] , a member of a group of large species–specific herpes–type viruses with a wide variety of disease effects. Infection results in characteristically enlarged cells with intranuclear inclusions. Opportunistic infection with this virus is common in immunocompromised individuals, causing clinical illnesses such as cytomegalovirus retinitis, pneumonia, esophagitis, colitis, adrenalitis, and hepatitis. It can also cause cytomegalic inclusion disease, a variety of gastrointestinal infections, and encephalitis. See also cytomegalic inclusion disease, TORCH syndrome.
