title: Simultaneous treatment of cytomegalovirus and varicella zoster infections in a renal transplant recipient with ganciclovir: use of viral load to monitor response to treatment.
abstract: Disseminated zoster occurring simultaneously with cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease in a renal transplant recipient is potentially life threatening. We describe the use of intravenous ganciclovir to treat both infections. The efficacy of treatment was assessed clinically and by the measurement of CMV viral load using the hybrid capture (Murex version 2) and varicella zoster (VZV) viral load using an in-house assay. Results from this case suggest that clinical resolution in severe viral infections such as described below may be related to early control of viraemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Virology, St. Barts and the Royal London Hospitals, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Aitken
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hawrami
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Barrett Muir
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaqoob
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breuer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006562:Herpes Zoster / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D014645:Herpesvirus 3, Human / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015774:Ganciclovir