Human cytomegalovirus DNA level in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

The objectives of the study were to estimate human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA copy number in broncho-alveolar lavage cells, blood leukocytes, and serum of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The study groups consisted of 16 patients, newly diagnosed with IPF and never treated, (mean age 40.9 +/-11.0 yr; F/M-7/9) and in 16 adult healthy volunteers (mean age 36.8 +/-6.4 yr; F/M-4/12) used as controls. The HCMV DNA copy number was calculated by a Q-PCR method using TaqMan ABI PRISM 7700. We found that the prevalence of the HCMV DNA positive subjects in the patient group (75%) did not differ significantly from that in the control group (69%). We also found that in both patient and control groups the mean HCMV DNA copy number in BAL cells was significantly higher than that in blood leukocytes (log10=2.7 vs. 1.2 for patients and 2.8 vs. 0.9 for controls, respectively). However, a higher HCMV DNA copy number in blood serum was observed in IPF patients than in controls (log10=3.2 vs. 2.0, respectively). We conclude that the lungs play an important role in the human pathobiology of cytomegalovirus sustenance.