Monitoring of Adenovirus Load in Stool by Real-Time PCR Permits Early Detection of Impending Invasive Infection in Patients after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

• Published in: Blood 2008-11, Vol.112 (11), p.1162-1162
• Main Authors: Lion, Thomas, Kosulin, Karin, Landlinger, Christine, Rauch, Margit, Jugovic, Dragana, Pötschger, Ulrike, Lawitschka, Anita, Peters, Christina, Fritsch, Gerhard, Matthes-Martin, Susanne
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood.V112.11.1162.1162

Disseminated adenovirus (AdV) infection is associated with high mortality in allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients. We have demonstrated that molecular detection of AdV in peripheral blood (PB) precedes the onset of life-threatening virus disease (Lion et al., Blood 102:1114–20, 2003). In most instances, detection of AdV in stool preceded the onset of viremia, thus raising the possibility that intestinal infections represent a common source of virus dissemination. To address this question, we have investigated 170 consecutive allogeneic transplantations in 138 pediatric patients transplanted at our center. Patients were monitored for the presence and the load of AdV in stool and in PB by a real-time PCR approach covering the entire spectrum of known human AdV serotypes. Fifty one patients (37%) tested positive in serial stool samples, revealing adenoviruses of nearly all subgenera, with strong predominance of serotypes 2 and 1 of species C. The overall risk of developing viremia in patients displaying or lacking intestinal AdV infection was 31% and 0%, respectively (p