Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus infection in a homosexual man with severe acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

A 44-yr-old white homosexual man with a history of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia developed watery diarrhea and fever. Flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed yellow plaques in the sigmoid colon suggestive of pseudomembranous colitis. Stool examination for ova and parasites, Clostridium difficile toxin, and cultures for pathogens, including Clostridium difficile, were negative. Infection with multiple organisms, including Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, Toxoplasma gondii, herpes simplex, and cytomegalovirus, was demonstrated. Postmortem examination showed esophageal and colonic ulcerations with cytomegalic inclusions, and cytomegalovirus was cultured from the colonic lesions. This report describes a case of disseminated cytomegalovirus infection with esophageal and colonic involvement in a homosexual man with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.