Yonsei Med J.  2001 Feb;42(1):147-151. 10.3349/ymj.2001.42.1.147.

Lower gastrointestinal bleeding due to cytomegalovirus ileal ulcers in an immunocompetent man

• Choi SW
• Chung JP
• Song YK
• Park YN
• Chu JK
• Kim DJ
• Jung JH
• Lee CH
• Lee SJ
• Park HJ
• Lee KS
• Lee SI
• Park IS
• Sohn SK

• KMID: 720600
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2001.42.1.147

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are commonly reported in severely immunocompromised hosts and ulcers of the alimentary tract are frequently observed in systemic CMV infections. However, invasive and ulcerative disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract caused by CMV has also been reported in healthy adults. Many reports show that a CMV infection can produce localized ulcerations in the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon in nonimmunocompromised individuals. The most common site of involvement by CMV infection in the GI tract is the colon followed by the upper GI tract and the least common site is the small intestine. Although GI bleeding is one of the major presenting symptoms of patients with CMV infections of the GI tract, lower GI bleeding due to CMV ileal ulcers in immunocompetent patients, to our knowledge, has not been reported in the English literature. Recently, we experienced a case of lower GI bleeding due to CMV ileal ulcers in a 57-year-old man who had no evidence of immunocompromise. This case suggests that small intestinal ulcers due to CMV infection should be included in the differential diagnosis of lower GI bleeding even in immunocompetent hosts.

Keyword

Cytomegalovirus; immunocompetent host; ileum; ulcer; bleeding

MeSH Terms

Case Report
Cytomegalovirus Infections/complications*
Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology*
Human
Ileal Diseases/complications*
Male
Middle Age
Ulcer/complications*