Diagnosis and treatment of cytomegalovirus pneumonitis following liver transplantation

Objective: To study the diagnosis and treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after liver transplantation. Methods: The clinical data of 111 patients who received liver transplantation from November 2000 to December 2007 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The recipients were diagnosed as having CMV infection by the predisposing factors, clinical symptoms and detection of CMV-PP65 and CMV-IgM in peripheral blood specimens in combination with chest X-ray. The treatment of CMV infection was administration of Ganciclovir. Results: Five recipients were diagnosed as having CMV infection, with the incidence of 4.5%. Two were diagnosed as having CMV pneumonitis, with the incidence of 1.8% (40% of the recipients having CMV infection). Two were both improved. Three were diagnosed as having CMV active infection. Two of them were cured and one was improved. Conclusion: The detection of CMV-PP65 is necessary for early diagnosis and guiding treatment of CMV infection. Ganciclovir can exert significant therapeutic effects on CMV infection.