Clinical significance of cytomegalovirus infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common in humans. The virus then enters a "latency phase" and can reactivate to different stimuli such as immunosuppression. The clinical significance of CMV infection in inflammatory bowel disease is different in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). CMV does not interfere in the clinical course of CD. However, CMV reactivation is frequent in severe or steroid-resistant UC. It is not known whether...