title: Active cytomegalovirus infection in patients with septic shock.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a pathogen of emerging importance for patients with septic shock. In this prospective study, 25 immunocompetent CMV-seropositive patients with septic shock and an intensive care unit stay of > or =7 days were monitored by using quantitative pp65-antigenemia assay, shell vial culture, and virus isolation. Within 2 weeks, active CMV infection with low-level pp65-antigenemia (median 3 positive/5x10(5) leukocytes) developed in 8 (32%) patients. Infection was controlled within a few weeks (median 26 days) without use of antiviral therapy. Duration of intensive care and mechanical ventilation were significantly prolonged in patients with active CMV infection. CMV reactivation was associated with concomitant herpes simplex virus reactivation (p = 0.004). The association between active CMV infection and increased illness could open new therapeutic options for patients with septic shock. Future interventional studies are required.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: von Müller
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Klemm
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Heide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suger-Wiedeck
authors.forename: Nilgün
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Durmus
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hampl
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mertens
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010750:Phosphoproteins; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C065418:cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa