Review
Cytomegalovirus infection in pediatric rheumatic diseases: a review
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* Corresponding author: Eli M Eisenstein emeisenstein@gmail.com
1 Department of Pediatrics, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, POB 24035, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 91240, Israel
2 Department of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
Pediatric Rheumatology 2010, 8:17 doi:10.1186/1546-0096-8-17
Published: 20 May 2010Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is familiar to pediatric rheumatologists mainly as a cause of opportunistic disease in pharmacologically immune suppressed patients. However, HCMV also has a variety of immuno-modulatory effects, through which it may influence the course of rheumatic conditions. In this article we discuss the interplay between HCMV and the immune system, and review the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of HCMV infection in children with rheumatic disease.