Gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus disease in a patient with pemphigus vulgaris treated with corticosteroid and mycophenolate mofetil

ABSTRACT

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune disease characterized by the formation of suprabasal intra-epidermal blisters on the skin and mucosal surfaces. Infectious diseases are the main cause of death in patients with pemphigus due to the disrupture of the physiological skin barrier, immune dysregulation, and the use of immunosuppressive medications leaving the patient prone to acquire opportunistic infections. We report the case of a 67-year-old woman diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, who was irregularly taking prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil. She was hospitalized because of a 1-month history of watery diarrhea and oral ulcers. Unfortunately, the patient died suddenly on the ward. The autopsy revealed a bilateral saddle pulmonary embolism, Gram-positive cocci bronchopneumonia, and gastrointestinal cytomegalovirus infection, causing extensive gastrointestinal mucosal ulcers.