Akira Hokama, Jiro Fujita, Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0125, Japan
Kiyohito Taira, Yu-ichi Yamamoto, Kenzo Takahashi, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0125, Japan
Nagisa Kinjo, Fukunori Kinjo, Department of Endoscopy, University Hospital of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0125, Japan
Author contributions: Hokama A wrote the manuscript; Taira K and Yamamoto Y treated the patient; Kinjo N performed the endoscopic examination; and Kinjo F, Takahashi K and Fujita J supervised the treatment of the patient and preparation of the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Akira Hokama, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious, Respiratory, and Digestive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0125, Japan. hokama-a@med.u-ryukyu.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-98-8951144 Fax: +81-98-8951414
Received: June 7, 2010 Revised: August 21, 2010 Accepted: August 28, 2010 Published online: November 16, 2010
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been increasingly recognized as an important common pathogen in an immunocompromised state. The colon and stomach are the most common sites of its gastrointestinal infection. Symptoms of CMV gastritis are usually nonspecific and include epigastric pain, fever, nausea and bleeding. Endoscopic features are quite variable and include macroscopically normal mucosa, diffuse erythema, nodules, pseudotumors, erosions and ulcers. The bioptic detection of intranuclear inclusions is the hallmark of CMV infection. Most gastrointestinal CMV infection responds well to ganciclovir. We present endoscopic and histopathological features of CMV gastritis in a 71 year old woman receiving long-term prednisolone for pemphigus vulgaris.
