Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33228560›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2020

Factors associated with cytomegalovirus serostatus in young people in England: a cross-sectional study.

Joanne R Winter, Graham S Taylor, Olivia G Thomas, Charlotte Jackson, Joanna E A Lewis, Helen R Stagg

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% 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

11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Observational
  4. The indirect effects of cytomegalovirus infection-mechanisms and consequences.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2025
    Article
  5. Acyclic graphs to define models of relationships between human cytomegalovirus, cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in UK Biobank.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2025
    Article
  6. Does cytomegalovirus infection increase the risk of tuberculosis in UK children?Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2025
    Observational
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
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

6 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.

Joanne R WinterCentre for Molecular Epidemiology and Translational Research, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
Graham S TaylorInstitute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Olivia G ThomasInstitute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Charlotte JacksonCentre for Molecular Epidemiology and Translational Research, Institute for Global Health, University College London, London, UK.
Joanna E A LewisNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Protection Research Unit in Modelling Methodology and Medical Research Council Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK.
Helen R StaggUsher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. helen.stagg@ed.ac.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4022-3447
Great Ormond Street Hospital · GBKarolinska University Hospital · SEMRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL · GBUniversity College London · GBUniversity of Birmingham · GBUniversity of Edinburgh · GB

Funding

Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust 204419
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHuman cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common herpesvirus which is estimated to infect 83% of the global population. Whilst many infections are asymptomatic, it is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly for immunocompromised people and for infants who are congenitally infected. A vaccine against CMV has been stated as a public health priority, but there are gaps in our understanding of CMV epidemiology. To guide potential future vaccination strategies, our aim was to examine risk factors for CMV seropositivity in young people in England.

methodsThe Health Survey for England (HSE) is an annual, cross-sectional representative survey of households in England during which data are collected through questionnaires, and blood samples are taken. We randomly selected individuals who participated in the HSE 2002, aiming for 25 participants of each sex in each single year age group from 11 to 24 years. Stored samples were tested for CMV antibodies. We undertook descriptive and regression analyses of CMV seroprevalence and risk factors for infection.

resultsDemographic data and serostatus were available for 732 individuals, of whom 175 (23.7%) were CMV-seropositive. CMV seroprevalence was associated with age, with 18.3% seropositive at 11-14 years compared to 28.3% at 22-24 years. CMV serostatus was also higher in people of non-white ethnicity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 6.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.47-11.14), and in adults who were seropositive for EBV (aOR 2.08 [1.06-4.09]). There was no evidence that smoking status, occupation, body mass index and region of England were associated with CMV serostatus.

conclusionsCMV seroprevalence is strongly associated with ethnicity, and modestly increases with age in 11-24-year-olds. A greater understanding of the transmission dynamics of CMV, and the impact of this on CMV-associated morbidity and mortality, is necessary to inform effective vaccination strategies when a vaccine for CMV becomes available.

Indexed as

AdolescentAntibodies, ViralChildCross-Sectional StudiesCytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus InfectionsEnglandEpstein-Barr Virus InfectionsFemaleHealth SurveysHerpesvirus 4, HumanHumansImmunoglobulin GLife StyleMaleRisk FactorsAntibodies, ViralImmunoglobulin GCytomegalovirusRisk factorsSerostatusTransmission

Identifiers

PMID33228560
PMCPMC7681768
OpenAlexW3108065400

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.