Sclerosing cholangitis by cytomegalovirus in highly active antiretroviral therapy era

Abstract

Sclerosing colangitis (SC) due to cytomegalovirus (CMV) is very rare. It has been described mainly in immunocompromised patients. Currently, in HIV infected patients it is exceptional. The most of cases belong to pre-highly active antiretroviral therapy (pre-HAART) and those cases were in stage AIDS with less than 100 CD4/ μl. The most frequently involved pathogen in pre-HAART period was Cryptosporidium parvum (30-57 %) and CMV (10-30 %); in late HAART period this information are unaware. CMV has been implicated as a possible etiological agent in primary SC partly because of the ability to cause liver damage and its relationship with smooth muscle antibodies. The most effective treatment for SC was the combination of antiretroviral therapy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with sphincterotomy and stent placement. Following, we present the first case of late HAART period which describes a SC extrahepatic without papillary stenosis with CMV as the only cause and clinical presentation of HIV infection in a woman with 177 CD4/μl.