Which virus is an important cause of pneumonia in immunocompromised patients?

Which virus is an important cause of pneumonia in immunocompromised patients?

• A. Cytomegalovirus
• B. Hepatitis C virus
• C. Human papillomavirus
• D. Dengue virus

Answer: (A)

Opportunistic viral pneumonia is a major concern when the immune system is suppressed. Cytomegalovirus, a herpesvirus that often remains latent after initial infection, can reactivate when cell-mediated immunity is weakened. In immunocompromised patients—such as transplant recipients on immunosuppressants, people with advanced HIV, or those undergoing chemotherapy—CMV can infect the lungs and cause a serious interstitial pneumonitis with fever, cough, shortness of breath, and low oxygen levels. Diagnosis is supported by detecting CMV in blood or lung fluid and by typical viral changes seen in cells. Treatment uses antiviral drugs like ganciclovir or valganciclovir that inhibit CMV replication. The other viruses listed are not typical causes of pneumonia in this setting: hepatitis C primarily affects the liver, human papillomavirus causes warts and cancers, and dengue leads to systemic fever rather than a pneumonitis in immunocompromised individuals.

Opportunistic viral pneumonia is a major concern when the immune system is suppressed. Cytomegalovirus, a herpesvirus that often remains latent after initial infection, can reactivate when cell-mediated immunity is weakened. In immunocompromised patients—such as transplant recipients on immunosuppressants, people with advanced HIV, or those undergoing chemotherapy—CMV can infect the lungs and cause a serious interstitial pneumonitis with fever, cough, shortness of breath, and low oxygen levels. Diagnosis is supported by detecting CMV in blood or lung fluid and by typical viral changes seen in cells. Treatment uses antiviral drugs like ganciclovir or valganciclovir that inhibit CMV replication. The other viruses listed are not typical causes of pneumonia in this setting: hepatitis C primarily affects the liver, human papillomavirus causes warts and cancers, and dengue leads to systemic fever rather than a pneumonitis in immunocompromised individuals.