Russell body gastritis in an HIV positive patient: case report and review of literature.

Russell body gastritis is characterized by accumulation of plasma cells, filled with Russell bodies, in the gastric mucosa. Twelve cases have been reported in the English language medical literature. Its association with Helicobacter pylori gastritis or immunosuppression is known. The present case is the third to be reported in association with HIV infection. An 82-year-old male presented with dyspepsia, loose stools, loss of appetite and weight. Computed tomography scan showed esophageal and gastric wall thickening. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed gastritis. Microscopic examination of the biopsy revealed gastric mucosa with diffuse plasma cell infiltration in the lamina propria, associated with large eosinophilic Russell bodies. Immunoperoxidase stains revealed positivity for CD 138 and lambda and kappa chains. Special stain for Helicobacter pylori and immunostain for CD68 were negative. The differential diagnoses include plasmacytoma and mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma with plasmacytic differentiation, which are entities with different prognostic and therapeutic implications.