Home   Chapter Home   Jobs   Conferences   Fellowships   Books

Advertisement

Skin-nontumor

Infectious disorders

CMV (cytomegalovirus)

Reviewer: Mowafak Hamodat MB.CH.B, MSc., FRCPC, Eastern Health, St. Johns (Canada) (see Reviewers page)
Revised: 24 August 2011, last major update July 2011
Copyright: (c) 2002-2011, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

Definition
=========================================================================

● CMV belongs to the subgroup of beta herpesviruses

Epidemiology
=========================================================================

● Like other members of the family Herpesviridae, CMV produces primary infections, latent infections and reinfections, although its site of latency is not known

Treatment
=========================================================================

● Ganciclovir, a guanosine analogue that selectively inhibits CMV DNA polymerase, may be used

Clinical description
=========================================================================

● Post-ampicillin maculopapular eruption is most common clinical presentation
● Presents with urticaria, vesiculobullous lesions, pustular lesions and ulceration (including genital ulcers); also keratotic lesions, diaper dermatitis and even epidermolysis
● Rarely associated with erythema multiforme (J Cutan Med Surg 2011;15:115)

Clinical images
=========================================================================

       
Various images

Micro description
=========================================================================

● Non-specific dermal infiltrate
● Characteristic changes are enlarged endothelial cells in small dermal vessels; nuclei contain large, eosinophilic inclusions surrounded by a clear halo; cytomegalic changes without nuclear inclusions have been reported
● May also be prominent neutrophilic infiltration of involved vessel walls, although an unequivocal leukocytoclastic vasculitis is quite rare
● Fibrocytes, macrophages and rarely ductal epithelial cells may harbor viral inclusions

Micro images
=========================================================================

Classic owl's eye inclusions


CMV immunostain

Positive stains
=========================================================================

● Monoclonal antibodies to CMV can confirm diagnosis in cases with unusual histopathological changes
● PCR-based methods are also available

End of Skin-nontumor > Infectious disorders > CMV (cytomegalovirus)

This information is intended for physicians and related personnel, who understand that medical information is often imperfect, and must be interpreted in the context of a patient's clinical data using reasonable medical judgment. This website should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a licensed physician.

All information on this website is protected by copyright of PathologyOutlines.com, Inc. Information from third parties may also be protected by copyright. Please contact us at copyrightPathOut@gmail.com with any questions (click here for other contact information).