title: Cytomegalovirus meningoencephalitis after rituximab treatment for primary central nervous system lymphoma.
abstract: The efficacy and safety of rituximab against B-cell lymphomas is well established. However, there has been an increased incidence of infectious complications after rituximab treatment, mostly hepatitis B reactivation and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. This is the case of a 67-year-old patient with primary central nervous system lymphoma, who developed cytomegalovirus meningoencephalitis after receiving high-dose chemotherapy and rituximab. As there was no evidence of lymphoma relapse or additional immunosuppression, besides his previous treatment, an association between rituximab and cytomegalovirus meningoencephalitis cannot be ruled out.
authors.affiliation: *1st Department of Internal Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Medical School †Immunology and HLA Histocompatibility Laboratory ‡Department of Neurology, Laiko General Hospital §Department of Hematology, Athens Medical Center-Psychikon Branch, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Marina P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Siakantaris
authors.forename: Kimon V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Argyropoulos
authors.forename: Savvas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ioannou
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Papadopoulou
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tzeletas
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsonis
authors.forename: Aglaia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dimitrakopoulou
authors.forename: Konstantina G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Yiannopoulou
authors.forename: Gerassimos A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Pangalis
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vaiopoulos
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab