Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (hCMV), the betaherpesviruses member, was years supposed to be an important pathogen especially in patients with immune system weakening, mainly in post-transplantation patients with immunosuppressive therapy. In accordance with results of many studies from last decade cytomegalovirus is suspected to play the role of an important pathogen of many other diseases.
The relationship of hCMV to chronic inflammatory bowel diseases - ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease has been monitored for a long time and the results of many studies have been still inconclusive. The findings of hCMV in lesions of severe ulcerative colitis and ulcerative colitis refractory to immunosuppressive therapy in higher frequency (40-57 %) in comparison to lower frequency (up to 5 %) in diseases with mild course were very interesting.
Other group of diseases discussed with the relation to hCMV is tumours. In many studies the cytomegalovirus oncomodulatory effort in glioblastomas, colorectal adenocarcinomas, prostatic tumours and lymphomas has been discussed.
Despite the fact that some proofs support the possible relation of hCMV to some tumours, like successfull induction of malignant carcinoma by hCMV latent infection in animal models, hCMV has not still been classified as oncovirus. The potential of cytomegalovirus in these new relations has been evident.