AIM： To evaluate the natural history of human cytomegalovirus （HCMV） infection in a series of 28 ulcerative colitis patients in whom the search for HCMV was positive. METHODS： A series of 85 patients with moderate...AIM： To evaluate the natural history of human cytomegalovirus （HCMV） infection in a series of 28 ulcerative colitis patients in whom the search for HCMV was positive. METHODS： A series of 85 patients with moderate-se- vere ulcerative colitis flare-up were evaluated for a HCMV search by performing a haematoxylin and eosin stain, immunohistochemical assay and nested polymerase chain reaction on rectal biopsies. Among 85 screened patients （19 of whom were steroid resistant/dependant）, 28 were positive for HCMV; after remission the patients were followed up clinically and histologically. RESULTS： Among the 22 patients with complete follow- up, in 8 （36%） patients HCMV-DNA persisted in the in- testinal specimens. Among the HCMV positive patients, 4 （50%） experienced at least one moderate-severeflare-up of colitis without evidence of peripheral HCMV. Among the 14 HCHV negative patients, 3 with pouches developed pouchiUs and 5 out of 11 （45%） experienced a colitis flare-up. CONCLUSION： Our preliminary results suggest that HCHV may remain in the colon afber an acute coltis flare- up despite remission; it seems that the virus is not responsible for the disease relapse.展开更多
文摘AIM： To evaluate the natural history of human cytomegalovirus （HCMV） infection in a series of 28 ulcerative colitis patients in whom the search for HCMV was positive. METHODS： A series of 85 patients with moderate-se- vere ulcerative colitis flare-up were evaluated for a HCMV search by performing a haematoxylin and eosin stain, immunohistochemical assay and nested polymerase chain reaction on rectal biopsies. Among 85 screened patients （19 of whom were steroid resistant/dependant）, 28 were positive for HCMV; after remission the patients were followed up clinically and histologically. RESULTS： Among the 22 patients with complete follow- up, in 8 （36%） patients HCMV-DNA persisted in the in- testinal specimens. Among the HCMV positive patients, 4 （50%） experienced at least one moderate-severeflare-up of colitis without evidence of peripheral HCMV. Among the 14 HCHV negative patients, 3 with pouches developed pouchiUs and 5 out of 11 （45%） experienced a colitis flare-up. CONCLUSION： Our preliminary results suggest that HCHV may remain in the colon afber an acute coltis flare- up despite remission; it seems that the virus is not responsible for the disease relapse.
