Cytomegalovirus infection of the bowel in infancy: pathogenetic and diagnostic significance.

Three infants had cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the bowel. Infected enteric ganglion cells were found in two, one of whom had hypoganglionosis and colonic dysmotility. The third infant had classic short segment Hirschsprung's disease and colitis with CMV inclusions in vascular endothelium, a situation wherein viral transformed cells may have led to misinterpretation of the diagnostic biopsy.