Late-onset cytomegalovirus reactivation in critically ill renal transplant patients

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation occurs frequently in the first months after renal transplantation. However, reports concerning long-term kidney transplant recipients are rare and have always pertained to symptomatic CMV disease.

We report four cases of late-onset asymptomatic CMV reactivation in critically ill renal transplant patients who suffered from severe bacterial infections and in whom CMV antigenemia was observed.

CMV reactivation in these patients might indicate an additional disturbance in the patients' immune defenses at the time of critical illness, possibly even necessitating a temporary reduction in immunosuppressive therapy. Prospective, controlled trials are needed to define the role of CMV antigenemia in critically ill patients, including the role of antiviral therapy for asymptomatic reactivations.