Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common cause of morbidity in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients, predominantly when severe immunosuppression has occurred. Although CMV infection of the retina and gastrointestinal tract is well recognised as causing substantial morbidity, the significance of infection at other sites, in particular the lungs and adrenal glands is unclear.
Aims: To assess the extent of CMV infection in postmortem examinations performed on HIV-infected patients. To estimate the degree of concordance between clinical and postmortem findings and the effect of prior diagnosis and/or treatment of CMV infection.
Methods: The postmortem examination findings and clinical records of 25 consecutive HIV-infected patients who underwent a complete autopsy were examined.
Results: CMV infection was demonstrated in 19 patients (76%) at postmortem examination, with the most common sites of infection being the adrenal glands (56%) and lungs (44%). Concordance between clinical diagnosis of CMV infection and postmortem findings was low with only five of 19 patients (26%) having an antemortem diagnosis. No patient with CMV infection of the lungs or adrenal glands had a clinical diagnosis made, despite four patients having florid CMV pneumonitis at postmortem examination; in three the probable cause of death.
Conclusion: CMV infection is a common postmortem finding in HIV-infected patients but the concordance between clinical diagnosis and autopsy findings is low. CMV appears to be a significant pathogen in HIV-related respiratory disease.