Table 1.
Summary of the evidence regarding the interlacing between chronic idiopatic intestinal pseudo-obstruction and viral infections.
| Reference | Author | Year of Publication and Study Protocol | Virus Involved and Technique of Its Detection | Suspected Mechanism of Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [37] | Selgrad, et al. | 2009, case-control study | John Cunningham Virus. DNA was extracted from the myenteric plexuses of colonic and ileal specimens, and JCV T antigen (TAg) DNA and the viral regulatory region were detected by PCR and sequencing | The John Cunningham Virus localization in enteroglial cells suggests a possible pathological role for this virus in enteric neuropathy |
| [38] | Sinagra, et al. | 2020, case report on 2 patients | John Cunningham Virus. PCR amplifications were performed using gene-specific primers for T antigen; PCR for the only JCV was positive in duodenal and jejunal samples in both the patients | The John Cunningham localization in small bowel suggested a possible pathological role for this virus in enteric neuropathy not otherwise classified |
| [62] | Johnson, et al. | 1977, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in ileocolonic samples | Direct viral injury to colonic enteric nervous system and muscularispropria |
| [46] | Carrascosa, et al. | 2014, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in colonic samples | Direct viral injury to colonic enteric nervous system and muscularispropria |
| [63] | Cane, et al. | 1959, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. First detection in ileal samples | Direct viral injury to colonic enteric nervous system and muscularispropria |
| [64] | Hiramatsu, et al. | 2013, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in ileal samples | Direct viral injury to colonic enteric nervous system and muscularispropria |
| [65] | Chang, et al. | 1978, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in ileal samples | Direct viral injury to colonic enteric nervous system and muscularispropria |
| [66] | Anaya-Prado, et al. | 2018, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in ileocolonic samples | Direct viral injury to colonic enteric nervous system and muscularispropria |
| [67] | Pui, et al. | 2001, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in ileocolonic samples | Direct infection of celiac plexus ganglion and colonic autonomic nervous system (ANS) and hemorrhagic infarction of abdominal sympathetic celiac ganglia |
| [68] | Tribble, et al. | 1993, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in ileocolonic samples | Viral involvement of the thoracolumbar or sacral lateral columns causing parasympathetic nerves disfunction and intestinal hypomotility |
| [56] | Nomdedéu, et al. | 1995, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in ileocolonic samples | Peritoneal inflammation due to vescicular eruptions |
| [70] | Hosoe, et al. | 2010, case report | Varicella Zoster Virus. Detection through PCR in colonic samples | Injury of afferent C-fibers leading to intestinal pseudo-obstruction |
| [74] | Dèchelotte, et al. | 1992, case report on 3 patients | Cytomegalovirus. Virus had been identified through PCR in the ganglion cells or in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the small bowel and colon | Antenatal paralytic ileus caused by cytomegalovirus infection |
| [75] | Foucaud, et al. | 1985, case report | Cytomegalovirus. Viruria and specific IgM and IgG antibodies confirmed cytomegalovirus infection. The patient underwent also rectal biopsy with detection of hypoganglionosis, nerve thickening and cytomegalovirusintranuclear inclusions | Paralytic ileus caused by cytomegalovirus infection |
| [77] | Debinsky, et al. | 1992, case control study | Cytomegalovirus. One patient, who presented visceral neuropathy and myopathy, had small intestine samples positive for cytomegalovirus DNA. No control tissue was positive for any virus | Visceral neuropathy and myopathy caused by cytomegalovirus |
| [76] | Ategbo, et al. | 1996, case report | Cytomegalovirus. At the small bowel biopsy, cytomegalovirus was identified. Moreover, the patient’s trend of IgM and IgG and the absence of maternal IgG were indicative of infection within the first few weeks of life | Visceral neuropathy caused by cytomegalovirus |
| [82] | Vassallo, et al. | 1991, case report | Epstein–Barr virus. The ganglion cells of the myenteric plexus were normal at morphological and immunohistochemical evaluation and therefore the selective cholinergic dysautonomia was identified as the most likely pathophysiologic process responsible for the symptoms | Selective cholinergic dysautonomia that occurred following acute infectious mononucleosis |
| [83] | Besnard, et al. | 2000, case report | Epstein–Barr virus. The patient has undergone resection appendix and sigmoidoscopy and the tissue samples showed hypoganglionosis and a mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate in the myenteric neural plexus. EBV-PCR was positive in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, and EBV-RNA was identified in myenteric appendix cells, in a mesenteric lymph node, and in gastric biopsies | Viral direct invasion of autonomic ganglia or postganglionic neurons |
| [1] | De Giorgio, et al. | 2010, case control study | Epstein–Barr virus. PCR-based study of 13 clinically and manometrically characterized patients with chronic idiopatic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (2 patients positive for Epstein–Barr virus infection) | Viral direct invasion of autonomic ganglia or postganglionic neurons |
| [92] | Armah, et al. | 2007, post-mortem study | West Nile Virus, Flavivirus acute infection affected by GI symptoms and located in the intestine | Viral antigens, RNA, lesions of the myenteric plexus and necrosis of enterocytes have been identified in the intestinal tissue isolated also in infected rodents |