The occurrence of symptomatic CMV infections in heart transplant recipients.

Background: Human cytomegalovirus is widely spread in the human population and at present it is the most important clinical agent of opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients. Bone marrow transplant recipients, solid organ transplant recipients and AIDS patients are at risk of the development of a severe systemic disease. Prompt detection of active infection is essential for early initiation of antiviral therapy.

Aim: The aim of our work was to follow the occurrence of symptomatic CMV infection in heart recipients.

Methods: We have used antigenemia assay, PCR and serology methods for the detection of CMV infection in heart transplant recipients.

Results: We found that the occurrence of symptomatic CMV infections was lower than the literary data.

Conclusion: Though a small group of patients was examined, we suppose that this was caused by the careful finding of CMV serostatus of donors and recipients, by using of CMV-seronegative, filtered, or leukocytes-poor blood products, by the examination of blood products and prophylaxis of risk patients, too. (Tab. 1, Ref. 37.).