title: Prospective long-term study on primary CMV infections in adult liver transplant (D+/R-) patients after valganciclovir prophylaxis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can cause severe infections in transplanted patients. To prevent CMV infection, most liver centers use prophylaxis for CMV-seronegative recipients receiving an organ from a seropositive donor (D+/R-). Valganciclovir is mostly given for 3-6 months after transplantation. However, the patients may develop primary CMV infection after the cessation of prophylaxis and late-onset CMV disease may occur.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  A prospective long-term follow-up of CMV (D+/R-) adult liver transplant recipients after 3 months valganciclovir prophylaxis was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 154 consecutive adult liver recipients transplanted from 2006 to 2009, 20 (13%) were CMV D+/R- and received antiviral prophylaxis up to 3 months after transplantation. After excluding the recipients with incomplete prophylaxis or monitoring, 13 (D+/R-) patients with follow-up of >4 years after the 3-month period of valganciclovir prophylaxis were included in the study.The patients were monitored for CMV by real-time quantitative plasma PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No break-through CMV infections were recorded during the prophylaxis period. After cessation of valganciclovir prophylaxis 12/13 (90%) patients demonstrated CMV-DNAemia following a post transplantation mean interval of 165 days (range 95-320). Ten patients with high viral loads (peak viral load mean 81,510, range 1900-648950cps/ml) were successfully treated, 6 with valganciclovir, and 4 with ganciclovir. Two patients with low level CMV-DNAemia (<1000cps/ml) were asymptomatic and not treated. No intragraft infection was seen, but one patient developed gastrointestinal CMV infection verified from ileum biopsy. During long-term follow-up, 3 patients demonstrated low-level viral replication, but no symptomatic recurrences occurred. One patient died of bacterial sepsis, but no patient or graft was lost due to CMV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Primary CMV infections after cessation of prophylaxis were common, but were successfully treated with valganciclovir or ganciclovir.
authors: Department of Virology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: Irmeli.Lautenschlager@hus.fi.
authors: Irmeli
authors: I
authors: Lautenschlager
authors: Department of Virology, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Raisa
authors: R
authors: Loginov
authors: Department of Transplantation and Liver Surgery Clinic, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Heikki
authors: H
authors: Mäkisalo
authors: Department of Transplantation and Liver Surgery Clinic, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
authors: Krister
authors: K
authors: Höckerstedt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018890:Chemoprevention / Q000379:methods*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D066027:Transplant Recipients; D000077562:Valganciclovir
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D000077562:Valganciclovir; D015774:Ganciclovir
keywords: CytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus; Liver transplantation; Valganciclovir prophylaxis