Seroprevalence of CMV infection in patients with active ulcerative colitis and underlying factors of pathogenicity

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has garnered increasing attention in the context of active ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic IBD, characterized by periods of remission and relapse. Exploring the interplay between CMV and UC highlights the need for heightened awareness of viral infections in gastrointestinal disorders, to improve patient management and therapeutic strategies. Materials and methods In this cross-sectional study, serum samples from 82 patients with Active UC were assessed for CMV serological markers (IgG and IgM antibodies) using the chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) method. Following this, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to detect CMV DNA in plasma samples using specific primers. The clinical findings along with demographical collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 software. Results Among 82 patients with active UC, 12.2% were diagnosed with active CMV infection, and 48% had a history of previous CMV infection (IgG + and IgM-). No significant differences in clinical symptoms or demographic variables among the three patient groups were observed (P > 0.05). However, there was a significant difference in weight loss between patients with active CMV infection and those with IgG + and IgM- (P = 0.040). Additionally, patients with active CMV had significantly higher corticosteroid consumption compared to the other two groups (P = 0.020). Conclusions The prevalence of CMV in patients with active UC highlighted the necessity of accurately diagnosing the presence of latent or active CMV infection before initiating treatment. Furthermore, the role of corticosteroid uses in CMV reactivation and the severity of colitis should not be underestimated.