Vidarabine therapy for virus-associated cystitis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

We describe a method of diagnosing virus-associated cystitis after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and treatment with vidarabine therapy. At 7-10 days post-BMT when cystitis was suspected, we observed urinary sediments by the Papanicolaou stain to detect virus inclusion bodies. When positive, we examined urinary sediments by transmission electron microscope and measured the diameter of viral particles to determine the families. This process needed only 4 days. Among 16 consecutive cases, adenovirus and polyomavirus were each detected in three. Adenovirus caused hemorrhagic cystitis in two cases and cystitis without macroscopic hematuria in one case. Polyomavirus caused cystitis without macroscopic hematuria in one case. Polyomavirus was also detected in two cases without any symptoms. Vidarabine (10 mg/kg/day i.v.) was administered for 5 days as one course. Soon after one course of vidarabine, most symptoms subsided and virus inclusion bodies disappeared in all cases except for one with severe hemorrhagic cystitis. From these experiences, vidarabine reduces excretion of adenovirus and polyomavirus in the urine of BMT recipients and improves clinical symptoms in some cases of cystitis associated with these viruses.