Skin infection by cytomegalovirus in a kidney transplant patient

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a herpes-virus with the capacity to cause a diverse array of clinical syndromes. Although primary cytomegalovirus infection is often asymptomatic in immunologically competent hosts, both primary infection and reactivation may produce severe disease in those who are immunocompromised. We present the clinical case of a 47 years old male, who received a kidney transplant in 1998 and who was sent to our surgery with a penile ulcer of some weeks evolution. We preceded to perform a circumcision and the pathologist report indicated skin infection by CMV. Although the CMV infection may involve many different organ systems is unusual the skin infection. The CMV infection is followed by a loss of survival time for the transplanted organ and also increase the morbidity and mortality. The usual treatment is farmacological with anti viral drugs and supportive measures.