Cutaneous cytomegalovirus manifestation in a HIV- negative patient

WY Lam, FRCPath, FHKAM(Pathology) Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a DNA virus belonging to the herpesvirus family. They replicate in the nucleus and form intranuclear inclusions and lead to giant cell formation. They have the ability to cause latent infection in humans. Reactivation from latency might occur in immunocompromised patients. It causes encephalitis, pneumonitis, colitis, retinitis and also congenital foetal infection. Cutaneous manifestation of CMV infection, which is uncommonly reported, may present with a wide variety of skin lesions such as ulcers, erosions, erythematous morbilliform rashes, vesiculobullous diseases and sometimes Gianotti-Crosti syndrome. In view of the variety of lesions caused by CMV, the clinician should have a high index of suspicion especially in the high-risk patients. We report a Chinese female with infiltrative lung disease complicated by disseminated CMV infection with cutaneous manifestation confirmed by skin biopsy.