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RAYMUND R. RAZONABLE, M.D., is Assistant Professor of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and Staff Physician, Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street, N.W., Rochester, MN 55905 (razonable.raymund{at}mayo.edu).

Purpose. The novel and traditional risk factors for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease in solid organ transplant (SOT) and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients, the current strategies for the prevention of CMV disease, the emerging syndrome of late-onset CMV disease, and the risk factors for antiviral drug resistance are described. Summary. The evolution of transplantation practices, the changes in the characteristics of donors and recipients, the introduction of novel immunosuppressive drugs, and the widespread use of antiviral drugs for CMV prevention have collectively influenced the natural history of CMV infection and disease in SOT and HSCT recipients. Strategies for CMV prevention with the use of antiviral drugs, whether as prophylaxis or as preemptive therapy, are effective in reducing the incidence of CMV disease in transplant recipients. However, late-onset CMV disease is now emerging as a serious problem. Donor and recipient CMV serostatus and other traditional risk factors for early-onset CMV disease appear to contribute to the occurrence of late-onset CMV disease during the first year after transplantation. Conclusion. The epidemiology of CMV infection and disease has changed after transplantation. Strategies to prevent late-onset CMV disease include the prolonged use of antiviral prophylaxis, but this practice can lead to the emergence of antiviral drug resistance, which has been associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Index terms: Antivirals; Cytomegalovirus infections; Dosage schedules; Epidemiology; Immunosuppressive agents; Mortality; Resistance; Transplantation