EFFICACY OF MARIBAVIR IN VALGANCICLOVIR-RESISTANT CYTOMEGALOVIRUS RETINITIS
Jonathan C Tsui1, Vincent Huang, Anton M Kolomeyer
1Department of Ophthalmology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Retinal Cases & Brief Reports
|February 2, 2023
Summary
Systemic maribavir effectively treated ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus retinitis in a lung transplant patient. This suggests maribavir is a viable option for resistant cytomegalovirus infections.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Infectious Diseases
- Transplant Surgery
Background:
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is a serious complication in immunocompromised patients, particularly lung transplant recipients.
- Ganciclovir resistance poses a significant challenge in managing CMV retinitis.
- Standard treatment protocols may be insufficient for resistant cases.
Observation:
- A 72-year-old lung transplant patient presented with bilateral CMV retinitis.
- The patient had documented ganciclovir-resistant CMV.
- One eye was treated with intravitreal foscarnet, while the contralateral eye was managed with systemic maribavir alone.
Findings:
- Both the eye treated with intravitreal foscarnet and the eye treated with systemic maribavir showed regression of active retinitis.
- Systemic maribavir demonstrated efficacy in resolving CMV retinitis even in a treatment-resistant case.
Implications:
- Systemic maribavir may be an effective therapeutic option for refractory or resistant cytomegalovirus retinitis.
- This case highlights the potential of maribavir in managing difficult-to-treat CMV infections post-transplant.
- Further research into systemic maribavir for CMV retinitis is warranted.
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