CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION IN RECIPIENTS OF RELATED AND UNRELATED DONOR BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTS - NO EVIDENCE OF INCREASED INCIDENCE IN PATIENTS RECEIVING UNRELATED DONOR GRAFTS

Recent reports suggest an increased incidence of cylomegalovirus (CMV) infection in recipients of unrelated donor (UD) bone marrow transplan tation (BMT). In this study we have collated the incidence of CMV infe ction and disease in sequential UD (n = 119) and related donor (RD; n = 79) BMT performed in a single institution over a 7-year period. Low- risk patients (CMV seronegative recipient and donor) accounted for 51% of UD BMT (n = 61) and 62% of RD BMT (n = 49), with CMV excretion doc umented in one RD BMT only. The remaining high-risk patients received identical prophylaxis regimens with aciclovir and intravenous immunogl obulin (IVIG). Two groups consisting of 58 UD BMT (median age 9.0 year s, range 0.7-45.3 years) and 30 RD BMT (median age 13.6 years, range 1 .6-47.6 years) were analysed. CMV reactivation/re-infection was docume nted in 15 UD BMT (26%) and 10 RD BMT (33%) (P = 0.72), and CMV diseas e in four UD BMT (8%) and four RD BMT (13%) (P = 0.533). In this serie s the risk of CMV excretion and disease following UD BMT was similar t o that following RD BMT.