The detection of the cytomegalovirus DNA in the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis is associated with increased long-term risk of proctocolectomy: results from an outpatient IBD clinic.

Purpose: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been found to be associated with a reactivation of ulcerative colitis (UC) and with an impaired response to medical therapy. In the past, only limited data were available on the long-term outcome for UC patients with positive tissue CMV-PCR in the colonic mucosa.

Methods: Between January 2010 and April 2015, we performed a qualitative PCR screening for CMV DNA in one biopsy from most actively inflamed rectal mucosa (tCMV-PCR).