Bilateral extensive CMV retinitis in a sick child – Harbinger of severe combined immunodeficiency

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis is a marker of severe cellular immunodeficiency. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) must be considered in infants presenting with CMV retinitis in a non-HIV setting. Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is a life-threatening syndrome characterized by recurrent infections, diarrhoea, dermatitis, and failure to thrive. Clinically, most children present before the age of 3 months. Without intervention, SCID is universally fatal. SCID is considered a pediatric emergency because survival depends on expeditious hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is the most common opportunistic ocular infection in children with SCID. We report a 4-month-old male infant, with extensive bilateral CMV retinitis secondary to SCID.

Keywords

• severe combined immunodeficiency
• cytomegalovirus
• retinitis
• lymphopenia