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Eosinophilic gastroenteritis with cytomegalovirus infection in an immunocompetent child

Junji Takeyama1, Daiki Abukawa, Katsushi Miura

  • 1Department of Pathology, Miyagi Children's Hospital, 4-3-17 Ochiai, Sendai, Japan. jtakeyama@miyagi-children.or.jp

World Journal of Gastroenterology
|August 31, 2007
PubMed

Insights

A child

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Gastroenterology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Protein-losing gastroenteropathy (PLG) is a rare condition characterized by excessive loss of serum proteins into the gastrointestinal tract.
  • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is common in children and can cause a range of clinical manifestations.
  • Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is an allergic disorder involving eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tract.

Observation:

  • A 3-year-old boy presented with symptoms suggestive of protein-losing gastroenteropathy.
  • Serologic tests confirmed active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
  • Endoscopic examination revealed gastric erosions, and biopsies showed eosinophilic gastroenteritis and CMV infection.

Findings:

  • The patient experienced transient protein-losing gastroenteropathy.
  • Complete resolution occurred within four weeks without specific anti-CMV therapy.
  • Both CMV infection and an allergic reaction were implicated in the disease's development.

Implications:

  • This case highlights a potential association between cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and eosinophilic gastroenteritis presenting as protein-losing gastroenteropathy in a pediatric patient.
  • The findings suggest that CMV infection can trigger or exacerbate allergic gastrointestinal conditions.
  • Complete recovery without specific antiviral treatment underscores the self-limiting nature of this presentation in immunocompetent children.

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