Cytomegalovirus

Questions

1. Describe the diseases caused by the cytomegalovirus, including transmission routes?

2. How would you diagnose such a virus?

3. How would you go about treating and preventing such a virus?

Cytomegalovirus (HHV5) can cause a glandular fever like illness, congenital infections (i.e.: cytomegalic inclusion disease  enlarged cells), post transfusion/transplant mononucleosis. In AIDS patients, the disease begins as pneumonitis  hepatitis, colitis, retinitis, oesaphagitis. Transmission is via oropharyngeal secretions, urine, blood products and organ transplants. Diagnosis is via: “owl eye” look of the cells via histological staining, you can also do immunoassay and fluorescence test. Treatment is not generally available although they are exploring ganciclovir for transplant patients. Foscarnet is also used for immunosuppressed patients (Foscarnet). Prevention is by screening all blood products and organs, removing all the WBC from blood.

Category: Microbiology Notes