title: Investigation of epstein-barr virus and parvovirus b19 DNA in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to investigate posttransplant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and parvovirus B19 DNA in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients between 2009 and 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-five adult patients in whom allogeneic stem cell transplantation was performed between April 2009 and November 2010 in the Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, were included in the study. EBV and parvovirus B19 DNA positivity was investigated by using real-time polymerase chain reaction technique in 135 plasma samples obtained after transplantation at between 1 and 6 months. Pretransplant serological markers of EBV and parvovirus B19 were provided from patient files.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 32 (71.1%) of the patients, EBV antibodies in the pretransplantation period were as follows: anti-EBNA-1 IgG (+), VCA IgM (-), and VCA IgG (+). In 2 patients (4.45%), these antibodies were as follows: anti-EBNA-1 IgG (+), VCA IgM (-), and VCA IgG (-). In 1 patient (2.2%), they were as follows: anti-EBNA-1 IgG (-), VCA IgM (-), and VCA IgG (+). EBV serological markers were negative in 2 (2.2%) out of 45 patients before transplantation. There was low DNA positivity (<600 copies/mL) in 4 patients (8.9%), and VCA IgM was negative and VCA IgG was positive in these same 4 patients. In spite of low viral load, there were no symptoms related to EBV, and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) did not occur. While in 44 (99.7%) of 45 patients parvovirus B19 IgM was negative and IgG was positive, parvovirus B19 IgM was positive and IgG was negative in 1 (2.3%) patient. Parvovirus B19 DNA was not identified in any of the samples obtained from these 45 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study, EBV and parvovirus B19 DNA were investigated in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients. None of the patients developed PTLD and parvovirus B19 DNA positivity was not detected. However, this issue needs to be further evaluated in prospective, multicenter studies with larger series of patients.
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Altay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Atalay
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gökahmetoğlu
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Süleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Durmaz
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Idris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kandemir
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sağlam
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Leylagül
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kaynar
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eser
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cetin
authors.affiliation: Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Microbiology, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hüseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kılıç
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; Parvovirus B19; Real-time PCR; allogeneic stem cell transplantation