India Reports Cases Of Cytomegalovirus In 5 COVID-19 Patients: All You Need To Know

Cytomegalovirus symptoms, treatment and all you need to know: In a first, five cases of Cytomegalovirus has been reported from Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital recently. All of the said patients tested COVID-19 positive recently.

The infection is of concern as the COVID-19 positive patients suffered rectal bleeding. One of the patients succumbed due to heavy bleeding and combined COVID-19 complications, according to the press release by Ganga Ram Hospital.

The hospital officials said that the patients complained of rectal bleeding and pain and all of them tested positive for the deadly coronavirus within 20-30 days.

Here is all you need to know:

• So far, in all of the reported cases of cytomegalovirus (CMV), symptoms were rectal bleeding and abdominal pain. it. Other symptoms of primary CMV include sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, swollen glands and fever.

• The infection can prove fatal in people with poor immunity. According to a report by News 18, for pregnant women or people with weak immune systems CMV is cause for concern.

• The infection can be spread through contact with the eyes, nose. Contact with the mouth after having contact with an infected person’s saliva, blood, urine, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk are also responsible for the transmission.

• The report added that women who develop an active CMV infection during pregnancy can pass the virus to their babies.

• According to a report prepared by a group of senior doctors in Sir Ganga Ram hospital, the recorded cases of CMV infection during COVID-19 infection, were detected during the second wave of Covid-19 in April-May and the patients showed symptoms after about 20 to 30 days of testing positive for Covid-19.
• Among the five patients, two had massive bleeding and one required emergency lifesaving surgery in the form of removal of the right side of the colon. One of them reportedly passed away due to extensive bleeding and severe COVID-19 related chest complications.
• Senior Consultant of the Gastroenterology department of the hospital Dr Praveen Sharma believes that timely intervention in the form of an early diagnosis and effective antiviral therapy can save many precious lives.
• Reportedly, cytomegalovirus exists in 80 to 90 % of Indians in an asymptomatic form. Symptoms are usually seen in patients with low immunity.
• Experts claim that immunity is highly being compromised because of the heavy usage of steroids and the after-effects of COVID-19 infection. Mucormycosis and cytomegalovirus infection is also caused due to the same.