CYTOMEGALOVIRUS ESOPHAGITIS

Course overview

CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) IS A MEMBER OF THE HERPESVIRIDAE FAMILY, WHICH HAS THE LARGEST GENOME OF ANY HERPES VIRUS. IT IS SPREAD THROUGH BODILY FLUIDS SUCH AS DURING THE PERINATAL PERIOD OR SEXUAL CONTACT. ALTHOUGH IMMUNOCOMPETENT INDIVIDUALS CAN BE INFECTED, THE SERIOUS DISEASE TYPICALLY ONLY MANIFESTS IN THOSE WITH IMMUNOCOMPROMISED STATES SUCH AS PATIENTS WITH AIDS, ORGAN TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS, AND PATIENTS ON CHEMOTHERAPY. CMV CAN AFFECT MANY ORGANS, INCLUDING THE EYES, STOMACH, COLON, BUT THE FOCUS OF THIS DISCUSSION IS ON THE ESOPHAGUS. THIS ARTICLE GOES INTO THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS ESOPHAGITIS. IT HIGHLIGHTS THE POPULATION MOST LIKELY TO BE AFFLICTED WITH THE DISEASE AND INTRODUCES INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM TO WAYS TO BEST RECOGNIZE AND CARE FOR PATIENTS AFFECTED BY CMV ESOPHAGITIS.