NO PREVENTION OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION BY ANTICYTOMEGALOVIRUS HYPERIMMUNE GLOBULIN IN SERONEGATIVE BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

A randomized multicentre study was conducted to evaluate the effect of anti-CMV hyperimmune globulin in the prophylaxis of CMV infections in CMV seronegative allogeneic BMT patients who received a transplant fr om a seropositive donor or who had received blood products unscreened for CMV during the treatment before BMT. Twenty-eight patients were in cluded in the study, Thirteen were randomized to receive and 15 not to receive intravenous CMV hyperimmune globulin, A dose of 0.4 g/kg of i mmunoglobulin was given on day -8 and 0.2 g/kg on days -1, +7, +14, +2 1, +28, +35, +42, +56 and +70 in relation to the day of transplantatio n, Among the 15 patients not given immunoglobulin CMV was isolated in three, and two of them developed clinical CMV disease, In addition, on e more patient developed CMV antibodies without virus isolation, In fi ve of the 13 patients given immunoglobulin the virus could be isolated , and four of them developed CMV disease, One additional patient showe d seroconversion but no other findings of CMV infection, The incidence of acute and chronic GVHD was similar in the two arms, There was no s ignificant difference in survival, In conclusion, the present results do not indicate a beneficial effect of CMV hyperimmune globulin infusi ons in the prophylaxis of CMV infection or disease in seronegative all ogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients from a seropositive donor.