Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpes virus that most adults in the United States have been exposed to. The virus remains in the body for life. In a healthy adult, the virus produces mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, in someone with a lowered immune system due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), organ transplant anti-rejection drugs, bone marrow transplant anti-rejection drugs or serious illness, the virus may ravage various organs of the body. CMV can also be dangerous for newborns who were infected in the womb.
Fever
Fever in CMV may be low-grade, high or intermittently elevated. It may be prolonged, lasting for weeks before diagnosis and treatment. Night sweats may accompany this fever.
Weakness and Fatigue
The person with CMV may find that he is easily exhausted and unable to continue his normal daily routine. He may find himself napping, going to bed early and calling in sick to work because he feels too weak to be active. He may also feel unwell.
Aches and Pains
CMV can cause muscle aches and joint pains. This can feel like all-over body aches, or it may be primarily in one region, such as the neck and shoulders. According to MedlinePlus, CMV can also make your joints feel stiff.
Poor Appetite
CMV sufferers can have trouble eating due to poor appetite. This often leads to weight loss and further tiredness.
Lymph Node Swelling
"Medical-Surgical Nursing" states that people with CMV can experience lymph node swelling. This can lead to chronic sore throat. The salivary glands can also become inflamed.
Organ-Specific Symptoms
When CMV attacks the brain, symptoms can include seizures, coma, changes in behavior and inflammation of the brain. When it attacks the liver, symptoms can include lengthy fever, changes in liver enzyme tests, severe fatigue and a feeling of being unwell. CMV in the lungs can manifest as pneumonia with too little oxygen getting to the tissues. This can lead to a bluish or pale look to the skin, shortness of breath, drowsiness and fatigue. In the gastrointestinal tract, the virus can cause ulcers that bleed, resulting in blood in the stool. Diarrhea may also be present. When CMV attacks the eyes, symptoms include difficulty seeing in both eyes and eventual blindness.
Newborn-Specific Symptoms
Newborns may exhibit no symptoms and still be damaged by CMV. Hearing loss can occur, which is only diagnosed through specific testing for newborns. Other symptoms include low birth weight, seizures, feeding problems, lung infection, yellowed skin, yellowing of the whites of the eyes and a purple rash. Symptoms that cannot be easily seen include anemia and an enlarged liver and spleen.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Cytomegalovirus Infection
- MedlinePlus: CMV - Immunocompromised Host
- "Medical-Surgical Nursing;" Donna Ignatavicius, M.S., R.N., and Linda Workman, Ph.D., R.N.; 2002
