Cytomegalovirus causing necrotizing laryngitis in a renal and cardiac transplant recipient

✍ Scribed by Manuel López-Amado; María Teresa Yebra-Pimentel; Adolfo García-Sarandeses

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 606 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1043-3074
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-0347(199609/10)18:5<455::aid-hed9>3.0.co;2-4

✦ Synopsis

Background:

Cytomegalovirus (cmv) infection is a common opportunistic pathogen in transplant recipients; however, cytomegaloviral laryngitis is extremely rare.

Methods:

We present a case of disseminated cmv infection and ulcerating necrotizing laryngitis situated in the subglottis of an immunocompromised patient with a renal and cardiac transplant. the patient was initially seen with discomfort in the throat.

Results:

Physical examination of the head and neck, fiberoptic laryngoscopy, and ct scan of the larynx were normal. histopathology of a laryngeal ulcer in the subglottic region showed intranuclear and intracytoplasmic bodies. immunoperoxidase stain and in situ hybridization studies were positive for cmv.

Conclusions:

In immunosuppressed patients with persistent throat symptoms, the systematic exploration of larynx and bronchus is necessary to rule out the presence of opportunistic infections.