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Cytomegalovirus: A probable cause of steroid‐refractory ulcerative colitis
Author(s) -
Xue Meng,
Chen Shu Jie,
Wang Liang Jing,
Du Ying,
Si Jian Min
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of digestive diseases
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1751-2980
pISSN - 1751-2972
DOI - 10.1111/1751-2980.12037
Subject(s) - cytomegalovirus , ulcerative colitis , medicine , refractory (planetary science) , immunology , steroid , colitis , inflammation , cytomegalovirus infection , steroid use , virus , gastroenterology , human cytomegalovirus , herpesviridae , viral disease , disease , biology , hormone , astrobiology
Cytomegalovirus, regarded as a trigger of several autoimmune diseases, is an opportunistic pathogen. Patients with ulcerative colitis ( UC ) undergoing steroid treatment are susceptible to this infection. In the presence of cytomegalovirus, inflammation becomes more complex. Patients with active UC who are infected with cytomegalovirus are usually non‐responders to steroid, while antiviral drugs could induce remission. Cytomegalovirus should be suggested as a probable cause of steroid‐refractory UC based on the clinical data in the literatures.