[Serologic follow-up of cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex and varicella-zoster infections in kidney transplant recipients].

Abstract

In the present paper the characteristics of cytomegalovirus (CMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infections were serologically investigated in renal transplant recipients. At transplantation CMV-seropositivity was 88.2%. At the end of the study, the frequency of primary CMV-infections was 58.3% and the frequency of recurrent infections (reinfections or reactivations) was 84.4%. The 57.1% of primary infections and the 64.5% of recurrent infections occurred between the first and the third month after transplantation. There was no correlation between recurrent infections and type of immunosuppressive treatment (CyA vs. Triple). The 70% of pairs of patients who received a kidney from the same CMV-seropositive donor reacted in the same way: or neither had any infection or both had active CMV-infection. There was no correlation between rejection and active CMV-infection. HSV-seropositivity was 96.2%. Primary HSV-infections didn't occur and the frequency of reactivation in seropositive patients was 31.4%. No correlation was found between rejection and active HSV-infection as well. As regards VZV-infection, seropositivity at transplantation was 90%. Primary VZV-infections didn't occur. During the study, seropositive patients showed variations in VZV-antibody titers which returned to initial values. Clinical signs of zoster were observed in 6% of patients at third and ninth month after transplantation and were serologically confirmed.