An unusual case of CMV cutaneous ulcers in a renal transplant recipient and review of literature

Cytomegalovirus skin disease in a kidney transplant patient

A 44-year-old man with a history of renal transplantation presented with right lower abdominal wall swelling, redness and pain. A bacterial abscess was drained, and he was discharged home with oral antibiotics. After failing to improve, he returned to the hospital, where he was briefly treated with intravenous antibiotics and discharged home again. The patient returned 5 days later, reporting worsening right groin swelling that extended into the ipsilateral scrotum. Imaging revealed a persistent fluid collection in the region, and he was taken for surgical debridement. Tissue immunochemistry and histopathological evaluation identified cytomegalovirus infection. Plasma quantitative PCR for cytomegalovirus demonstrated high viraemia. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous ganciclovir, followed by oral valganciclovir, with resolution of the skin changes. Persistent hydrocele with epididymitis on imaging suggests that this process may have been the source of the cutaneous cytomegalovirus infection.

Unusual Manifestations of Acute Cytomegalovirus Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Hosts: A Report of Two Cases

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts. Tissue-invasive CMV disease causing ulcerative skin disease or esophageal necrosis is rare. We herein describe two cases: a 47-year-old renal and pancreas transplant recipient who presented with skin ulcerations on his elbow and a 50-year-old renal transplant recipient who presented with acute esophageal necrosis. In both, tissue biopsy revealed CMV inclusion bodies by immunohistochemical staining of infected endothelial and mucosal cells. Ganciclovir was given to both cases and full remission occurred. Due to the varying presentations of acute CMV infection in immunosuppressed hosts, high suspicion and early tissue biopsy are vital for proper diagnosis and treatment when any suspicious cutaneous or mucosal manifestations are present.

Cutaneous involvement by cytomegalovirus in a renal transplant recipient as an indicator of severe systemic infection

Cytomegalovirus is an opportunistic virus that commonly affects immunosuppressed patients. Cutaneous involvement by this virus is rare and occurs in significantly immunocompromised hosts, with a poor prognosis. Skin ulcers may represent the first sign of systemic infection by cytomegalovirus in these patients. Herein, a case of a systemic infection by Cytomegalovirus presenting as genital and oral ulcers in a kidney-transplant recipient is reported.

Cutaneous ulcer as leading symptom of systemic cytomegalovirus infection

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection rarely manifests with skin ulcerations. We describe a case report of a 64-year-old woman with chronic immunosuppression for treatment of mixed connective tissue disease, presenting with new onset leg ulcerations after a recent change in immunosuppressive regimen. She subsequently developed fulminant hepatitis, encephalopathy, and pancytopenia and was found to have severe systemic CMV viremia. Skin ulcer biopsy was positive by immunohistochemical staining for CMV infected endothelial cells. Both systemic disease and skin ulcer rapidly improved after stopping immunosuppression and administering intravenous ganciclovir. New onset skin ulcers in an immunosuppressed individual, especially with recent changes in immunosuppressive regimen, should raise the suspicion of reactivation of CMV.

Rare presentations of cytomegalovirus infection in renal allograft recipients

Cytomegalovirus is the most common viral infection after kidney transplantation. Clinical presentations of cytomegalovirus infection range from asymptomatic infection to organ-specific involvement. Most symptomatic infections manifest as fever and cytopenia. The gastrointestinal tract is the most common site of tissue-invasive infection, often presenting as diarrhea or gastrointestinal bleeding. Gastrointestinal obstruction, perforation, thrombosis of large gastrointestinal veins, splenic artery thrombosis, and pancreatitis are rare gastrointestinal presentations of cytomegalovirus infection. Renal-allograft ureteral stricture and skin involvement are other rare presentations of cytomegalovirus infection. hemophagocytic syndrome, thrombotic microangiopathy, adrenal insufficiency, and renal allograft artery stenosis are other rare symptoms of cytomegalovirus infection.