Cytomegalovirus: a probable cause of steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis.

Meng Xue, Shu Jie Chen, Liang Jing Wang, Ying Du, Jian Min Si

Department of Gastroenterology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.

Journal of digestive diseases 2013 Apr

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Cytomegalovirus, regarded as a trigger of several autoimmune diseases, is an opportunistic pathogen. Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) undergoing steroid treatment are susceptible to this infection. In the presence of cytomegalovirus, inflammation becomes more complex. Patients with active UC who are infected with cytomegalovirus are usually non-responders to steroid, while antiviral drugs could induce remission. Cytomegalovirus should be suggested as a probable cause of steroid-refractory UC based on the clinical data in the literatures. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Digestive Diseases © 2013 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Citation

Meng Xue, Shu Jie Chen, Liang Jing Wang, Ying Du, Jian Min Si. Cytomegalovirus: a probable cause of steroid-refractory ulcerative colitis. Journal of digestive diseases. 2013 Apr;14(4):160-5