What Is Cytomegalovirus? New Infection Detected In COVID-19 Patients

What Is Cytomegalovirus?: India reported the first five cases of cytomegalovirus infection in COVID-19 patients.

Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital stated in its press release that the patients suffered from rectal bleeding- abdomen pain and blood in the stool. These patients were infected within 20-30 days of testing positive for COVID-19, as per the press release.

The cytomegalovirus infection in COVID-19 patients comes after various reports of a wide variety of fungal infections reported in COVID-19 patients. The Black fungal infection, also known as mucormycosis was declared as an epidemic in the country.

Delhi: First report of five cases of Cytomegalovirus (CVM) related rectal bleeding in COVID immunocompetent patients

"These patients came with abdominal pain & bleeding in stools with nearly 20-30 days after the diagnosis of COVID," says Prof Anil Arora of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital pic.twitter.com/xQE2cbWPgB

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2021

According to an official public statement, one out of the five patients infected with cytomegalovirus passed away. The patient had suffered intense bleeding and was also suffering from chest disease due to COVID-19.

Two of the patients recovered after going through anti-viral therapy, Prof Anil Arora said. One other patient who had suffered heavy bleeding went through surgery where his right colon was removed. These patients were between the age of 30 and 70 years. Their diagnosis was done by PCR test. The patients showed a low lymphocyte count of around 6-10% which is normally at 20-40%.

What is cytomegalovirus?

According to Prof Anil Arora of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the cytomegalovirus exists in 80-90 % of the Indian population.  Most are asymptomatic because of the immunity. The symptoms of the virus infection are only seen when an individual's immunity is compromised.

Due to the heavy usage of steroids and the COVID-19 infection, most people have their immunity deteriorated hence different types of infections show up. Mucormycosis and cytomegalovirus infection is also caused by that.

What is the treatment?

According to Dr Praveen Sharma, Senior Consultant at Gastroenterology department of the Delhi hospital, "I such cases, a high index of suspicion and timely intervention in the early form of an early diagnosis and effective antiviral therapy can save many precious lives. "