Cytomegalovirus infection in dialysis patients and personnel.
In a 12-month prospective study of cytomegalovirus infection on an acute hemodialysis unit, 10 of 80 patients (13%) and none of 26 staff developed active cytomegalovirus infection. Seven infections were coincidental with renal allograft rejection; three occurred 3 to 6 weeks after the transfusion of multiple units of conventional blood into seronegative patients. No person-to-person transmission was documented. In contrast to the effects of transfusing conventional blood, all 21 patients who entered dialysis without detectable cytomegalovirus antibody and received 2 to 10 U of frozen deglycerolyzed erythrocytes (total of 157 U) remained seronegative. Transmission of cytomegalovirus infection with transfusion with conventional blood is probably secondary to passage of leukocyte-borne virus that is lost during the freezing and deglycerolization procedure. Frozen erythrocytes prepared by cytoagglomeration procedures appear to be free of viable leukocytes and appear to carry a minimal risk of transmitting cytomegalovirus infection.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission; D006084:Graft Rejection; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010820:Physicians; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000914:Antibodies, Viral