PREVENTION OF PRIMARY CYTOMEGALOVIRUS INFECTION AFTER ALLOGENEIC BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION BY USING LEUKOCYTE-POOR RANDOM BLOOD PRODUCTS FROM CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-UNSCREENED BLOOD-BANK DONORS

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus infection was studied in 59 seronegative recipients of bone marrow depleted of lymphocytes by counterflow centrifugation. Eighteen patients died within 3 months after bone marrow transplantation without evidence of CMV infection, and they were excluded from analysis. Twenty-eight valuable seronegative patients received marrow from a seronegative donor, and 13 from a seropositive donor. All but 2 patients received acyclovir orally (4x400 mg/day) from days −9 to +60. CMV prophylaxis with immunoglobulin preparations was not given. All blood products were prepared from random, CMV-unscreened blood-bank donors. The red cell concentrates were depleted of leukocytes by filtration, and leukocytes were removed from the platelet concentrates by centrifugation. None of the patients