Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient

Cutaneous cytomegalovirus infection is a rare but serious complication in solid organ transplant recipients. We present a 47-year-old male kidney transplant recipient with a chronic, nonhealing right lower extremity ulcer. Initial biopsies revealed septic vasculopathy, leading to treatment with sodi...

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Main Authors: Dominic Finan, Vaibhav Garg, Lucjan Lang, Tricia Royer, Katherine Belden, Sherry Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-05-01
Series:SAGE Open Medical Case Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X251341511
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author Dominic Finan
Vaibhav Garg
Lucjan Lang
Tricia Royer
Katherine Belden
Sherry Yang
author_facet Dominic Finan
Vaibhav Garg
Lucjan Lang
Tricia Royer
Katherine Belden
Sherry Yang
author_sort Dominic Finan
collection DOAJ
description Cutaneous cytomegalovirus infection is a rare but serious complication in solid organ transplant recipients. We present a 47-year-old male kidney transplant recipient with a chronic, nonhealing right lower extremity ulcer. Initial biopsies revealed septic vasculopathy, leading to treatment with sodium thiosulfate and antibiotics for suspected calciphylaxis. Despite regular wound care, the ulcer continued to worsen. After completing 6 months of cytomegalovirus prophylaxis, surveillance viral levels remained undetectable, but the ulcer progressed considerably. Worsening severity prompted hospitalization, during which cytomegalovirus viremia was detected, and an ulcer biopsy confirmed cytomegalovirus inclusion bodies. Antiviral therapy was reinitiated, resulting in rapid and sustained wound improvement. Therefore, this case underscores cytomegalovirus’ potential for cutaneous invasion in transplant recipients, even without preceding viremia, and highlights the importance of considering cutaneous cytomegalovirus in nonhealing ulcers posttransplant, especially in serodiscordant recipients.
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spelling doaj-art-4f1adccbb6524b46a1914ee6cba4b7a62025-08-20T02:29:24ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open Medical Case Reports2050-313X2025-05-011310.1177/2050313X251341511Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patientDominic Finan0Vaibhav Garg1Lucjan Lang2Tricia Royer3Katherine Belden4Sherry Yang5Department of Dermatology & Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Dermatology & Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Infectious Diseases, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Infectious Diseases, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Infectious Diseases, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Dermatology & Cutaneous Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USACutaneous cytomegalovirus infection is a rare but serious complication in solid organ transplant recipients. We present a 47-year-old male kidney transplant recipient with a chronic, nonhealing right lower extremity ulcer. Initial biopsies revealed septic vasculopathy, leading to treatment with sodium thiosulfate and antibiotics for suspected calciphylaxis. Despite regular wound care, the ulcer continued to worsen. After completing 6 months of cytomegalovirus prophylaxis, surveillance viral levels remained undetectable, but the ulcer progressed considerably. Worsening severity prompted hospitalization, during which cytomegalovirus viremia was detected, and an ulcer biopsy confirmed cytomegalovirus inclusion bodies. Antiviral therapy was reinitiated, resulting in rapid and sustained wound improvement. Therefore, this case underscores cytomegalovirus’ potential for cutaneous invasion in transplant recipients, even without preceding viremia, and highlights the importance of considering cutaneous cytomegalovirus in nonhealing ulcers posttransplant, especially in serodiscordant recipients.https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X251341511
spellingShingle Dominic Finan
Vaibhav Garg
Lucjan Lang
Tricia Royer
Katherine Belden
Sherry Yang
Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient
SAGE Open Medical Case Reports
title Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient
title_full Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient
title_fullStr Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient
title_full_unstemmed Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient
title_short Cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient
title_sort cutaneous cytomegalovirus in mixed serostatus kidney transplant patient
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2050313X251341511
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AT katherinebelden cutaneouscytomegalovirusinmixedserostatuskidneytransplantpatient
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