Intestinal cytomegalovirus disease in immunocompromised patients may be ruled out by search for cytomegalovirus DNA in stool samples.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) PCR from stool specimens was adopted as a diagnostic tool for patients with suspected CMV colitis. After being established, the method was evaluated in 17 AIDS patients and 19 other immunocompromised patients by comparison of PCR results with clinical, histological, and microbiological or virological data. CMV PCR was positive in 4 symptomatic patients with proven CMV colitis and negative in 15 of 16 patients without characteristic histopathology.