Case report: recurrence of chronic ulcerative colitis induced by intercurrent cytomegalic virus infection

An association between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and idiopathic ulcerative colitis has been known for more than 30 years. The CMV-associated colitis usually occurs in those who are either immunosuppressed or taking long-term corticosteroid drugs. We describe a patient who had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, who then developed a recurrence six months after glucocorticoid therapy was started. Despite tapering or increasing the glucocorticoid therapy, the symptoms did not improve. Investigations demonstrated the presence of CMV in tissue samples, increase in antibody titers to the CMV virus, and resolution of the colitis upon use of specific anti-CMV therapy.