CMV Infection: A Clinical Challenge in Biological Therapy? The Case of Asymptomatic Patients with Persistent Positive Immunoglobulin M Anti-CMV Treated with Secukinumab

Alessio Gambardella; Gaetano Licata; Giulia Calabrese; Alina De Rosa; Francesca Pagliuca; Roberto Alfano; Giuseppe Argenziano

doi:10.2147/PTT.S284701

CMV Infection: A Clinical Challenge in Biological Therapy? The Case of Asymptomatic Patients with Persistent Positive Immunoglobulin M Anti-CMV Treated with Secukinumab

Psoriasis (Auckl). 2020 Nov 27:10:57-60. doi: 10.2147/PTT.S284701. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Alessio Gambardella¹, Gaetano Licata¹, Giulia Calabrese¹, Alina De Rosa¹, Francesca Pagliuca², Roberto Alfano³, Giuseppe Argenziano¹

Affiliations

¹ Dermatology Unit, Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy.
² Division of Pathology, Department of Mental and Physical Health and Preventive Medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, Surgery and Emergency, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy.

Abstract

The use of biological therapy is now common practice in the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID). Currently, there are no guidelines related to the management of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections or reactivation during therapy with biological agents. Furthermore, there is a lack of guidance on the management of asymptomatic patients with persistent positive immunoglobulin (Ig)M anti-CMV after an extended period and who have to undergo therapy with biological agents. We report the case of a patient in this situation for whom treatment with biological drugs for psoriasis was indicated. A good clinical response was obtained with secukinumab and maintained during 6 months of follow-up. No infectious disease or reactivation of CMV infection occurred. We suggest some possible guidelines for the management of such cases.

Keywords: anti-TNF-α therapy; biological therapy; case report; cytomegalovirus; immune-mediated inflammatory diseases; psoriasis.

Publication types

Case Reports