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Cytomegalovirus‐induced cutaneous microangiopathy manifesting as lower limb ischemia in a human immunodeficiency virus‐infected patient
Author(s) -
MolinaRuiz Ana M.,
Luque Rafael,
Zulueta Terasa,
Bernabeu Jose,
Requena Luis
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of cutaneous pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1600-0560
pISSN - 0303-6987
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0560.2012.01974.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cytomegalovirus , thrombotic microangiopathy , microangiopathy , pathogenesis , thrombosis , immunology , antibody , betaherpesvirinae , pathology , immunopathology , viral disease , virus , herpesviridae , disease , diabetes mellitus , endocrinology
Cutaneous infections by cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) are rare and often difficult to diagnose both clinically and histopathologically. A wide range of different clinical manifestations have been described in the literature, especially in immunosuppressed patients. CMV ‐induced thrombosis has also been reported in these patients, and various mechanisms have been proposed to explain the role of CMV in the thrombotic process, including direct damage of the endothelial cells, activation of coagulation factors and inducing the production of antiphospholipid antibodies. We present the case of a human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV )‐infected woman who developed distal ischemic lesions of the lower extremities during a generalized CMV infection. We discuss the role of CMV and antiphospholipid antibodies in the pathogenesis of thrombosis in immunosuppressed patients.