Rationale:
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is an important treatment for hematological malignancies. Common complications are opportunistic infections and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common causes of opportunistic infections.
Patient concerns:
A 30-year-old male was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma after persistent cough and lymphadenopathy. Fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, rash, and dyspnea occurred after HSCT.
Diagnosis:
The young man developed severe CMV infection with CMV detected in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and gastrointestinal tract.
Interventions:
Intravenous ganciclovir and high-dose glucocorticoids were administered after the patient was diagnosed with CMV pneumonia and enteritis.
Outcomes:
After 3 weeks, the young man died from respiratory failure and infectious toxic shock caused by severe CMV infection.
Lessons:
Patients after HSCT should be closely monitored CMV-DNA in blood and other specimen, and treated first if necessary, so as to avoid the occurrence of severe infections such as CMV gastroenteritis and pneumonia.