History of the cytomegalovirus

Abstract

Because it is capable of producing both congenital and acquired infections, the cytomegalovirus (CMV) has become an extremely important pathogen, and review of its history is pertinent. Inclusion-bearing cells were first shown by Ribbert in 1881. Goodpasture and Talbert in 1921 were the first to suggest that the "cytomegalia" could be due to a viral agent. In 1950, Smith and Vellios showed that infection may occur in utero. The introduction of exfoliative cytology methods allowed identification of characteristic cells in the urine of infected infants. Smith in 1956, Rowe and coworkers in 1956, and Weller et al in 1957 independently isolated human CMV strains. In 1960, Weller and coworkers proposed the term "cytomegalovirus" and subsequently isolated CMV from the urine of infants with generalized disease. CMV has now become one of the most common opportunistic pathogens encountered in patients immunocompromised from congenital or acquired causes such as AIDS or transplantation procedures.