How we treat cytomegalovirus in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Authors:

Boeckh, Michael; Ljungman, Per

Source:

Blood, Volume 113, Issue 23, p.5711-9 (2009)

Keywords:

2009, Animals, Antiviral Agents, Cytomegalovirus Infections, Drug Resistance, Viral, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, Humans, Risk Factors, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Institute

Abstract:

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) continues to cause major complications after hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Over the past decade, most centers have adopted preemptive antiviral treatment or prophylaxis strategies to prevent CMV disease. Both strategies are effective but also have shortcomings with presently available drugs. Here, we review aspects of CMV treatment and prevention in HCT recipients, including currently used drugs and diagnostics, ways to optimize preemptive therapy strategies with quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays, the use of prophylaxis, management of CMV disease caused by wild-type or drug-resistant strains, and future strategies.