Which virus is deadly to immunocompromised patients or premature infants?

• A. Cytomegalovirus
• B. Epstein-Barr virus
• C. Herpes simplex virus
• D. Varicella-zoster virus

Answer: (A)

Cytomegalovirus stands out because it causes invasive, life‑threatening disease in those with weakened immune defenses and in newborns, especially premature infants. It’s a herpesvirus that can reactivate or cause severe congenital infection. In premature babies, congenital CMV can lead to pneumonia, liver dysfunction, brain involvement, and sepsis-like illness, which can be fatal. In immunocompromised individuals, CMV can affect the retina, lungs, liver, and gut, producing serious, potentially lethal disease if not treated.

Other viruses listed can cause serious problems in certain settings—for example, HSV can cause severe neonatal infection and varicella-zoster can be dangerous in newborns or the immunocompromised—but CMV is the most characteristic cause of death in both immunocompromised patients and premature infants among these options.