Cytomegalovirus Infection Adverse Impact on ICU Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients

link.springer.com March 27, 2025

In critically ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was frequently observed, and associated with increased ICU and hospital mortality.

CMV co-infection correlated with a higher incidence of ICU-acquired bacterial and fungal infections and prolonged hospital stays.

This emphasizes the importance of early CMV monitoring upon ICU admission, as timely detection and intervention could potentially mitigate its impact on patient outcomes.

In this single-center, prospective observational study (March 2020 – September 2022), 431 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and moderate to severe ARDS were included.

An active CMV surveillance protocol was implemented, analyzing CMV DNA in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL).

Clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared between CMV-COVID co-infected patients and those without CMV reactivation.