Antibody maturation and viremia after primary cytomegalovirus infection, in immunocompetent patients and kidney-transplant patients.
To investigate antibody maturation and serum levels of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA after primary CMV infection, we studied 51 immunocompetent and 27 kidney-transplant patients. Compared with the immunocompetent patients, the transplant patients had significantly more-prolonged and -variable antibody maturation, clearly longer durations of viremia, and higher levels of CMV DNA; however, antibody maturation continued for >1 year even in immunocompetent patients. Long-term ganciclovir prophylaxis in the transplant patients was associated with either delayed immunoglobulin-G seroconversion, inhibition of antibody maturation (n=2), or immunoglobulin-class switching (n=1). In conclusion, antibody maturation continues in immunocompetent patients for a period longer than previously had been thought and is significantly delayed or even inhibited in kidney-transplant patients.
Steininger
Christoph
C
Department of Medicine I, Infectious Diseases Unit, University Clinic Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany. c.steininger@uke.uni-hamburg.de
Kundi
Michael
M
Kletzmayr
Josef
J
Aberle
Stephan W
SW
Popow-Kraupp
Theresia
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D000915:Antibody Affinity; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014766:Viremia
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral