Treatment of unilateral zone I cytomegalovirus retinitis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia with oral valganciclovir and intravitreal ganciclovir

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) is an opportunistic infection seen in immunocompromised patients, especially suffering from acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It is uncommonly seen in hematological malignancies and in patients on immunosuppressants. The authors present a 12-year-old girl with unilateral CMVR who was on maintenance phase therapy for mixed phenotype (B/myeloid) leukemia. Serology for human immunodeficiency virus was negative. The child was successfully treated with oral valganciclovir and repeated intravitreal ganciclovir injections. CMVR in pediatric population with leukemia can be successfully treated with oral valganciclovir and intravitreal ganciclovir injections.

Keywords

• Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
• human immunodeficiency virus
• maintenance phase therapy
• opportunistic infection
• retinal detachment