[Cytomegalovirus infections in AIDS]

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most frequent systemic viral opportunistic infection in AIDS, occurring in almost 40% of patients, at a stage of profound immunodeficiency, with a CD4 cell count lower than 50/microL. The most frequent localizations are retinal and gastrointestinal. Diagnosis of retinis, which can be totally asymptomatic, is based on fundus examination, which should be performed regularly in patients with AIDS and/or low CD4 count. Diagnosis of colitis, as of other rare manifestation (oesophagitis, hepatitis, encephalitis, myeloradiculitis, pneumopathy), relies on the association of suggestive clinical symptoms and CMV inclusions in biopsy specimens and/or CMV positive culture. The 2 drugs available for treatment of CMV disease, ganciclovir and foscarnet, are administered by intravenous route, with 2 infusions per day for induction therapy (usually 2 to 3 weeks), then once a day as lifelong maintenance therapy, to lessen or delay recurrences. Active drugs which could be given orally, combination of 2 drugs, new potent drugs and the development of prophylaxis in at-risk patients should help to improve the prognosis of CMV infection in AIDS.