Time course and frequency of Epstein-Barr virus reactivation after kidney transplantation: linkage to renal allograft rejection.
The onset and frequency of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation after kidney transplantation are unknown. By use of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction measurements, evidence of early EBV reactivation, occurring within the first week after the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy (median, 3 days), was observed in 13 of 23 patients, of whom 10 subsequently developed rejection episodes after 2-45 days (median, 5 days). By contrast, rejection was only diagnosed in 1 of 10 patients who did not show signs of viral reactivation. We suggest that EBV reactivation may induce a T cell response that, through the phenomenon of allo-cross-reactivity, could play a critical role in graft rejection.
Department of Medicine I, Division of Nephrology, University of Lübeck School of Medicine, Lübeck, Germany. jabs@innere1.uni-luebeck.de.
Wolfram J
WJ
Jabs
Susanne
S
Maurmann
Hans-J
HJ
Wagner
Michael
M
Müller-Steinhardt
Jürgen
J
Steinhoff
Lutz
L
Fricke
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D020031:Epstein-Barr Virus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014766:Viremia; D014775:Virus Activation
D004279:DNA, Viral