Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30044826›Full record

ArticlePloS one2018

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) seroprevalence in the adult population of Germany.

Raskit Lachmann, Anna Loenenbach, Tim Waterboer, Nicole Brenner, Michael Pawlita, Angelika Michel, Michael Thamm, Christina Poethko-Müller, Ole Wichmann, Miriam Wiese-Posselt

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 85 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
85citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
11.7field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

85 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 166 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. The risk of cytomegalovirus infection in daycare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International archives of occupational and environmental health · 2020
    Pooled it
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  10. The immunomodulatory role of human cytomegalovirus in cancer in the era of checkpoint immunotherapy.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2025
    Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Frequency of CMV testing during pregnancy-a retrospective study.Archives of gynecology and obstetrics · 2025
    Article
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  20. Review

25 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Raskit LachmannImmunization Unit, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1098-1765
Anna LoenenbachImmunization Unit, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Tim WaterboerDivision Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic infections, Infection, inflammation and Cancer Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
Nicole BrennerDivision Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic infections, Infection, inflammation and Cancer Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
Michael PawlitaDivision Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic infections, Infection, inflammation and Cancer Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
Angelika MichelDivision Molecular Diagnostics of Oncogenic infections, Infection, inflammation and Cancer Program, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
Michael ThammDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Reporting, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Christina Poethko-MüllerDepartment of Epidemiology and Health Reporting, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Ole WichmannImmunization Unit, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Miriam Wiese-PosseltImmunization Unit, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Robert Koch Institute · DEGerman Cancer Research Center · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInfection with cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains asymptomatic in most immunocompetent hosts, but is the leading cause of congenital viral infection worldwide and can be life-threatening in immunocompromised individuals. We aimed to assess CMV seroprevalence in a nationally representative sample of adults in Germany and to identify sociodemographic factors associated with CMV seropositivity.

methodsBlood samples from 6552 participants (18-79 years) of the "German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998", a population-based sample of the adult population in Germany, were tested for the presence of CMV antibodies using an Ig-multiplex assay. Weighted seroprevalence was calculated and weighted binomial regression was used to identify factors associated with CMV seropositivity.

resultsOverall CMV seroprevalence was 56.7% (95%CI: 54.8-58.7%), with a higher seroprevalence in women (62.3%) than in men (51.0%). Seroprevalence increased with age: from 31.8% to 63.7% in men and from 44.1% to 77.6% in women when comparing the 18-29 with the 70-79 year age-group, respectively. CMV seroprevalence in women of childbearing age (18-45 years) was 51.7%. Factors significantly associated with CMV seropositivity were age, country of birth, smoking status, education, living in northern Germany and number of household members. In addition, having attended child care was associated with seropositivity in men, and number of siblings and living in East Germany in women.

conclusionOur results indicate that half the women of childbearing age were susceptible for primary CMV infection during pregnancy. CMV screening during pregnancy and informing seronegative women about CMV risk reduction measures could prevent congenital CMV infections with its serious consequences.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultAgedAntibodies, ViralCytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus InfectionsFemaleGermanyHealth SurveysHumansMaleMiddle AgedSeroepidemiologic StudiesYoung AdultAntibodies, Viral

Identifiers

PMID30044826
PMCPMC6059406
OpenAlexW2883792147

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.