title: Cytomegalovirus infection associated with inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: Refractory colitis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease is a complicated clinical disorder that might, in some patients, even necessitate surgery. Hence the diagnosis of additional complications is of utmost importance. Colitis mediated by cytomegalovirus is one such complication. The high seroprevalence and latent nature of cytomegalovirus, with the possibility of viral replication without mediating disease, poses a real challenge for the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus-mediated colitis. The challenge in daily clinical practice is to distinguish cytomegalovirus replication from cytomegalovirus-mediated colitis in patients with inflammatory bowel disease who have refractory colitis. This Review discusses the scientific literature and provides a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik für Gastroenterologie, Infektiologie, Rheumatologie, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: britta.siegmund@charite.de.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Siegmund
mesh_terms: D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003092:Colitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents