Relationship between the symptomatic cytomegalovirus infection and the fluctuation of anti-CMV antibodies in patient after renal transplantation]

Between Sept.1, 1989 and Feb.28, 1990, 19 patients received renal allografts, and all of them were examined by serological tests for CMV infection before and after the transplantation. Six patients who had some clinical symptoms such as fever and cough were monitored for anti-CMV antibodies by the ELISA method during the first 3 months after the transplantation. Five of the 6 patients complained of mild clinical symptoms but their condition was not serious. The other patients, a 42-year-old man developed serious CMV infection. His serological CMV antibody titer had decreased one month after the transplantation compared to that before the transplantation. By contrast, the other patients showed either elevation or no change of CMV antibody titer. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the case of decrease rather than increase in CMV antibody titer one month after the transplantation in patients with severe symptoms.