AIM: To evaluate the natural history of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in a series of 28 ulcerative colitis patients in whom the search for HCMV was positive. METHODS: A series of 85 patients with moderate-severe ulcerative colitis flare-up were evaluated for a HCMV search by performing a haematoxylin and eosin stain, immunohistochemical assay and nested polymerase chain reaction on rectal biopsies. Among 85 screened patients (19 of whom were steroid resistant/dependent), 28 were positive for HCMV; after remission the patients were followed up clinically and histologically. RESULTS: Among the 22 patients with complete follow-up, in 8 (36%) patients HCMV-DNA persisted in the intestinal specimens. Among the HCMV positive patients, 4 (50%) experienced at least one moderate-severe flare-up of colitis without evidence of peripheral HCMV. Among the 14 HCMV negative patients, 3 with pouches developed pouchitis and 5 out of 11 (45%) experienced a colitis flare-up. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results suggest that HCMV may remain in the colon after an acute colitis flare-up despite remission; it seems that the virus is not responsible for the disease relapse.
AIM: To evaluate the natural history of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in a series of 28 ulcerative colitispatients in whom the search for HCMV was positive. METHODS: A series of 85 patients with moderate-severe ulcerative colitis flare-up were evaluated for a HCMV search by performing a haematoxylin and eosin stain, immunohistochemical assay and nested polymerase chain reaction on rectal biopsies. Among 85 screened patients (19 of whom were steroid resistant/dependent), 28 were positive for HCMV; after remission the patients were followed up clinically and histologically. RESULTS: Among the 22 patients with complete follow-up, in 8 (36%) patientsHCMV-DNA persisted in the intestinal specimens. Among the HCMV positive patients, 4 (50%) experienced at least one moderate-severe flare-up of colitis without evidence of peripheral HCMV. Among the 14 HCMV negative patients, 3 with pouches developed pouchitis and 5 out of 11 (45%) experienced a colitis flare-up. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results suggest that HCMV may remain in the colon after an acute colitis flare-up despite remission; it seems that the virus is not responsible for the disease relapse.
Authors: D Torrús; J Portilla; I Hernández-Aguado; V Boix; J Plazas; A Gimeno; M Torromé; C Llopis; V Valls; J Sánchez-Payá Journal: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis Date: 1999-09 Impact factor: 3.267
Authors: Chukwuma Onyeagocha; Mohammad S Hossain; Amrita Kumar; Rheinallt M Jones; John Roback; Andrew T Gewirtz Journal: Am J Pathol Date: 2009-10-08 Impact factor: 4.307