Cytomegalovirus colitis
| Cytomegalovirus colitis | |
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| Classification and external resources | |
 Micrograph of CMV colitis. H&E stain. |
Cytomegalovirus colitis, also known as CMV colitis, is an inflammation of the colon.
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[edit] Diagnosis
The diagnosis of CMV colitis is based on serology, CMV antigen testing and colonscopy with biopsy. Clinical suspicion should be arised in the setting of immunocompromised pateint but it is much rarer in immunocompetent pateint. Although it is known that CMV colitis is almost always caused by reactivation of latent CMV infection in immunocompromised pateints, new infection of CMV or reinfection of different strain of CMV can cause colitis in immunocompetent hosts. Because asymptomatic CMV viremia and viruria is common and about 1/3 of symptomatic CMV infection is caused by reinfection of different strain of CMV, the diagnosis of CMV colitis needs more direct causality. It is practically achieved by colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy tissue sampling and pathological eveidence of CMV infection under microscope. Positive CMV IgG doesn't neccessarily mean that it is reactivation of latent infection because of the possibility of reinfection of different strain.
[edit] Treatment
The usual treatment is antiretrovirals.[1] Severe CMV colitis may lead a colectomy.[2]
[edit] Risk factors
The systemic use of corticosteroids in the context of inflammatory bowel disease.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b Kandiel A, Lashner B (December 2006). "Cytomegalovirus colitis complicating inflammatory bowel disease". Am. J. Gastroenterol. 101 (12): 2857–65. doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2006.00869.x. PMID 17026558.
- ^ Lawlor G, Moss AC (September 2010). "Cytomegalovirus in inflammatory bowel disease: pathogen or innocent bystander?". Inflamm. Bowel Dis. 16 (9): 1620–7. doi:10.1002/ibd.21275. PMID 20232408.
