Association of Cervical Cytomegaloviruses with Venereal Disease

Abstract

Parity, race, and use of oral contraceptive agents were not related to recovery of cytomegalovirus (CMV) from the cervix of 196 nonpregnant women, but CMV antibody was more prevalent among black women. Of 120 women examined because of suspected venereal disease, 16 (13.3 per cent) had cervical CMV infection, and seven (5.8 per cent) had cervical herpesvirus infection. Neither virus wag recovered from 76 women having routine examinations. CMV isolation and antibody were significantly more prevalent among those with documented past or active gonococcal infection, but CMV isolation did not correlate with the actual presence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in the cervical secretions at the time of sampling. The study suggests, but does not prove, an association between cervical CMV infection and venereal disease in this population. (N Engl J Med 288:932–934, 1973)