Viral complications - Respiratory syncytial virus infection in the late bone marrow transplant period: report of three cases and review

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is an important cause of respir atory mortality in immunosuppressed patients, including bone marrow transpl ant (BMT) recipients, The presence of lower respiratory tract infection and infection in the pre-engraftment phase of BR IT is believed to confer a po or prognosis. Three patients who underwent allogeneic BMT at our institutio n developed RSV pneumonia over 1 year post BMT, with the underlying disease in remission. All three were hypoxic with extensive pulmonary disease at p resentation, Treatment consisted of aerosolized ribavirin and intravenous i mmune globulin with successful clearing of viral shedding and excellent cli nical outcomes. RSV infection is probably less severe in the late post-BMT period, but needs to be considered early in the differential diagnosis of p ulmonary infiltrates in this patient population.