title: A simplified strategy for clinical management of late cytomegalovirus infection after oral ganciclovir prophylaxis in renal recipients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Late cytomegalovirus disease after completion of prophylactic therapy occurs in 5-21% of renal allograft recipients within the first year post-transplantation. Identifying patients at risk for late infection is clinically difficult; prolonged cytomegalovirus (CMV) monitoring is costly and cumbersome as follow-up intervals lengthen.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a prospective 1 year study in 54 de novo renal recipients to assess the minimum CMV monitoring frequency for identifying patients at risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CMV DNA PCR monitoring on the last day, and again 2 weeks after conclusion of oral ganciclovir prophylaxis, seemed sufficient for identifying recipients at risk for developing clinically relevant late CMV disease and for whom closer clinical follow-up is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. Dirk.Kuypers@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: Dirk R J
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kuypers
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Evenepoel
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vanrenterghem
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015774:Ganciclovir