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Cytomegalovirus studies of autopsy tissue. II. Incidence of inclusion bodies and related pathologic data
Abstract:
Cytomegaloviruses (CMV) were recovered from lung tissue in 34 (6.8%) of 502 unselected autopsy cases. Inclusion bodies were detected in the lung in nine of these cases (26%) and in organs other than the lung in three others. Overall, the incidence of inclusion bodies in this series of 502 cases was 2.4%. Our data strongly indicate that virus isolation is more sensitive than histopathologic study in establishing the presence of CMV infection. However, CMV was not recovered from one kidney and one liver in which inclusion bodies were present, although the virus was isolated from lung. Four of five cases of renal allograft rejection were positive for both CMV and inclusion bodies. The incidence of CMV recovery and inclusion body detection in leukemia and lymphoma cases was more than twice that in cases with other diseases. CMV inclusion bodies with or without associated inflammation were found, in descending order of frequency, in the lung, kidney, liver, pancreas, adrenal gland, esophagus, prostate, testes, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and heart.
Insights
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is often undetected by standard pathology. Virus isolation is a more sensitive method for diagnosing CMV, especially in autopsy cases and immunocompromised patients.
Area of Science:
- Medical Virology
- Pathology
- Immunology
Background:
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus with varied clinical presentations.
- Diagnosing CMV infection, particularly in autopsy settings, can be challenging with traditional methods.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the sensitivity of virus isolation versus histopathologic detection of inclusion bodies for diagnosing CMV infection.
- To determine the incidence of CMV infection and inclusion bodies in unselected autopsy cases.
Main Methods:
- Virus isolation from lung tissue in 502 unselected autopsy cases.
- Histopathologic examination for inclusion bodies in various organs.
- Correlation of CMV recovery with specific conditions like renal allograft rejection, leukemia, and lymphoma.
Main Results:
- CMV was recovered from 6.8% of autopsy cases, with lung being a common site.
- Histopathologic inclusion bodies were detected in 2.4% of cases.
- Virus isolation demonstrated higher sensitivity than histopathology for CMV detection.
- Increased CMV incidence was observed in leukemia, lymphoma, and renal allograft rejection cases.
Conclusions:
- Virus isolation is a more sensitive diagnostic tool for CMV infection than histopathology.
- CMV infection is prevalent in autopsy populations and associated with specific diseases.
- Further research into CMV pathogenesis and diagnostics is warranted.