Longitudinal analysis of Epstein-Barr viral load in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of transplanted patients by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Background: Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients and is caused by iatrogenic suppression of T cell function. Elevations in the Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) load in plasma (>1000 EBV copies/100 microL plasma) or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (>5000 EBV copies/microg PBMC DNA) as determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RQ-PCR) have been shown to be sensitive indicators for the development of PTLD in patients.

Methods: The diagnostic value of frequent monitoring of EB viral load in peripheral blood from 46 patients after heart transplantation was investigated compared with 21 healthy controls in a prospective longitudinal study.