Acute cytomegalovirus infection associated with the onset of inflammatory bowel disease.

A 29-year-old man was admitted with high-grade fever, crampy abdominal pain, and watery diarrhea that had persisted for 2 weeks before his admission. Symptomatic treatment (acetaminophen only) was of no benefit. On physical examination, there was diffuse abdominal tenderness. Laboratory tests showed a leukomoid reaction with atypical lymphocytosis, and serology tests revealed acute cytomegalovirus infection. Abdominal computed tomography and colonoscopy revealed an inflammatory process involving the large intestine. On histologic examinations of intestinal biopsy samples, there was an active inflammation with no inclusion bodies. The patient was treated with ganciclovir with only mild improvement. Adding 5-aminosalicylic acid caused little further improvement. Repeated colonoscopy performed 2 months later showed severe chronic ulcerative colitis. Only the addition of systemic steroids caused complete resolution of the symptoms. On review of the literature (Medline search for cytomegalovirus colitis in immunocompetent patients), 18 cases were found. On follow-up, 10 of these patients were found to have inflammatory bowel disease.