RSS newsfeed: Cytomegalovirus

Conclusions:  A statistically significant association was observed between adenovirus and childhood intussusception. HHV‐6 was a common finding and occurred concomitantly with other viruses. A simultaneous infection with HHV‐6 and adenovirus carried the highest risk for intussusception.© 2012 The Author(s)/Acta Pædiatrica © 2012 Foundation Acta Pædiatrica (Source: Acta Paediatrica)

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Conclusions: A profile of immune response to purified CMV/EBV lysates is associated with radiographic joint damage. The correlation of this immune response to CMV serology implies possible involvement of latent CMV infection. Therefore, the findings suggest that the immune response to latent CMV infection could play a fundamental role in the progression of inflammation and structural joint damage in patients with RA. (Source: Arthritis Research and Therapy)

Abstract  Influenza related to complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis have sporadically been reported. However, influenza A (H1N1)-virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome (VAHS) has rarely been reported. A 39-year old woman complained of high fever and was referred to us. Chest infiltrations in both lungs and a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) specimen was confirmed and she was diagnosed with influenza A (H1N1) pneumonia. Pancytopenia was found, and hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) was diagnosed by bone marrow aspiration. Following intravenous administration of antiflu drug and combination therapy of steroid pulse and erythromycin IV, the patient’s respiratory dysfunction a...

ConclusionsIdentification of these 3 risk groups in association with the presence or absence of GVHD will help transplant units to make pre‐transplant policy decisions about prophylactic, pre‐emptive, or experimental CMV prevention strategies in groups of patients undergoing HSCT, as well as in those developing GVHD post transplant. (Source: Transplant Infectious Disease)

Conclusions  Late presenting epilepsy may be a predictor of a unilateral polymicrogyria and is associated with relatively good prognosis. CMV infection and the presence of asphyxia are predictors of worse prognosis. Content Type Journal ArticleCategory Original PaperPages 1-5DOI 10.1007/s00381-012-1703-2Authors Ertugrul Mavili, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039 Melikgazi, Kayseri, TurkeyAbdulhakim Coskun, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039 Melikgazi, Kayseri, TurkeyHuseyin Per, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Division of Pediatric Neurology, Erciyes University, Kayseri, TurkeyHalil Donmez, Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, 38039 Melikgazi, Kayseri,...

Conclusions. Our data suggests that the link between CMV and AR is far less significant than previously thought. Outcome in patients with CMV may be more determined by coexisting conditions like high donor age and delayed graft function. (Source: Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation)

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Chimerix, a biotechnology company developing novel antiviral therapeutics, has announced the final data from Phase II study 201 evaluating CMX001 for the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV). (Source: Drug Development Technology)

ConclusionsPrednisone-related side effects can be minimized in a protocol incorporating rapid discontinuation of prednisone for maintenance immunosuppression. Ten-year patient and graft outcomes remain acceptable. PMID: 22282482 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN)

Authors: Abstract COVER IMAGE: The cover is based on a spinal cord histology section taken from a TNFR2(-/-) mouse adoptively transferred with TNFR2(-/-) Treg cells prior to immunization with MOG(35-55) to induce EAE. The section is stained with Luxol Fast blue to detect demyelination; Luxol Fast Red, which detects inflammatory infiltration, is the counterstain. The image is taken from the article by Tsakiri et al. (pp. 403-412) in which it is shown that TNFR2 on non-haematopoietic cells is necessary for Treg-cell suppressive activity and repression of EAE development. The colour of the image has been digitally altered for the cover. CMV: FINE TUNING THE NK-CELL RESPONSE DURING CHRONIC HEPATITIS INFECTION: Two recent studies reported on the expansion of NKG2C(+) NK cells during ch...

Conclusions When tested by molecular techniques, lung parenchyma and distal airways are free of bacteria, but CMV was found in a high proportion of the samples. Molecular CMV detection in distal airways should be seen as a reliable marker to identify patients at risk for postoperative respiratory complications. (Source: The Annals of Thoracic Surgery)

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AbstractCover imageThe cover is based on a spinal cord histology section taken from a TNFR2−/− mouse adoptively transferred with TNFR2−/− Treg cells prior to immunization with MOG35–55 to induce EAE. The section is stained with Luxol Fast blue to detect demyelination; Luxol Fast Red, which detects inflammatory infiltration, is the counterstain. The image is taken from the article by Tsakiri et al. (pp. 403–412) in which it is shown that TNFR2 on non‐haematopoietic cells is necessary for Treg‐cell suppressive activity and repression of EAE development. The colour of the image has been digitally altered for the cover.CMV: Fine tuning the NK‐cell response during chronic hepatitis infectionTwo recent studies reported on the expansion of NKG2C+ NK cells during chronic hepatiti...

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common herpesvirus that is linked to autoimmunity, especially in genetically predisposed persons. The article by Hsieh and colleagues in this issue of Arthritis Research & Therapy suggests that a C-terminal peptide of the HCMV protein pp65 is highly immunogenic in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and that antibodies against this peptide cross react with nuclear proteins and double-stranded DNA, which are highly frequent autoantibodies in SLE patients. These observations highlight the fact that immunization with one small CMV-specific peptide results in multiple autoreactive antibodies, likely through molecular mimicry and epitope spreading, in genetically predisposed persons. (Source: Arthritis Research and Therapy)

In conclusion, our data indicate that ‐ in contrast to their reported inhibitory effects on other viruses ‐ both leflunomide and FK778 can augment HBV replication. Treatment with leflunomide, FK778, or MPA may bear the risk to enhance HBV replication in infected patients. (HEPATOLOGY 2012.) (Source: Hepatology)

We report here a case involving a 28-year-old female patient with mycosis fungoides who underwent umbilical cord blood transplantation three times and developed CMV ventriculoencephalitis. The patient's CMV viremia was successfully preempted with ganciclovir (GCV) as indicated by undetectable CMV antigenemia; despite this successful treatment, the patient developed CMV ventriculoencephalitis. Foscarnet (FCV) therapy led to a temporary recovery, after which CMV ventriculoencephalitis recurred, and the patient died after receiving combination GCV and FCV therapy. Autopsy samples revealed CMV ventriculoencephalitis, as indicated by numerous inclusion-bearing cells (Owl's eye). It is likely that this patient harbored a GCV-resistant CMV strain; however, it was not possible to obtain nucleic ac...

ConclusionsCMV disease continues to occur after the first year postsolid organ transplantation, particularly in heart transplant recipients, and can be associated with poor outcomes. CMV should be suspected in patients with symptoms or laboratory findings consistent with CMV, even if the patients present >1 year post transplant. (Source: Transplant Infectious Disease)

Abstract:Data are limited on the value of non‐invasive diagnostic methods, such as the cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigenemia assay, and the clinical features of CMV pneumonia in patients who have undergone solid organ transplant (SOT) compared with those who have had hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). All adult patients with suspected CMV pneumonia, who had received SOT or HSCT in a tertiary hospital during a 5‐year period, were retrospectively enrolled. CMV pneumonia was defined as clinical and radiographic evidence of pneumonia in association with the isolation of CMV in viral cultures of bronchoalveolar lavage or lung tissue specimens, or with the identification of CMV in lung tissue. In total, 36 patients with CMV pneumonia were identified. Of these, 29 (80%) had received SOT a...

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Authors: Galeone M, Colucci R, D'Erme AM, Moretti S, Lotti T Abstract Behçet's disease is a multisystem inflammatory disorder characterized by recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers, uveitis, and skin lesions. The cause of Behçet's disease remains unknown, but epidemiologic findings suggest that an autoimmune process is triggered by an environmental agent in a genetically predisposed individual. An infectious agent could operate through molecular mimicry, and subsequently the disease could be perpetuated by an abnormal immune response to an autoantigen in the absence of ongoing infection. Potentia bacterial are Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mycobacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Mycoplasma fermentans, but the most...

Authors: Haarala A, Kähönen M, Lehtimäki T, Aittoniemi J, Jylhävä J, Hutri-Kähönen N, Taittonen L, Laitinen T, Juonala M, Viikari J, Raitakari OT, Hurme M Abstract Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in immunocompromised organ transplant patients. It has been linked with the pathogenesis of elevated arterial blood pressure. However, controversy exists as to whether CMV infection is associated with endothelial function, and little is known about its role as a potential risk factor for early atherosclerosis development at a young age. We aimed to discover if CMV antibody titres are associated with early vascular changes (carotid intima-media thickness, carotid artery distensibility and brachial artery flow-mediated d...

A 59-year-old white man was admitted with sudden onset of dysphagia, nausea, and vomiting. He had no abdominal pain, fever, night sweats, or weight loss. Physical examination and basic blood tests showed normal results. EGD revealed multiple distal esophageal ulcers ( ) and Candida esophagitis. The stomach and duodenum were unremarkable. There was no evidence of HIV, cytomegalovirus, or herpes simplex virus infection. His symptoms improved with acid suppression and antifungal therapy. EGD 2 months later revealed a normal esophagus and diffuse erythema in the gastric fundus and body resembling portal hypertensive gastropathy ( ). Gastric biopsy, however, showed MALT lymphoma ( ) with strong CD20 immunohistochemistry staining, but no evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection. A 10-day course...