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Varicella‐zoster virus infection in adult patients after unrelated cord blood transplantation: a single institute experience in Japan
Author(s) -
Tomonari Akira,
Iseki Tohru,
Takahashi Satoshi,
Ooi Jun,
Takasugi Kashiya,
Shimohakamada Yoko,
Ohno Nobuhiro,
Nagamura Fumitaka,
Uchimaru Kaoru,
Tani Kenzaburo,
Tojo Arinobu,
Asano Shigetaka
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2003.04496.x
Subject(s) - medicine , varicella zoster virus , incidence (geometry) , cord blood , virus , transplantation , herpesviridae , cumulative incidence , disease , immunology , viral disease , physics , optics
Summary. Varicella‐zoster virus (VZV) infection was studied in 40 adult patients who underwent cord blood transplantation (CBT) from unrelated donors. Twenty‐five patients developed VZV reactivation at a median of 5 months after CBT (range 1·7–26 months). The cumulative incidence of VZV reactivation after CBT was 80% at 30 months. Twenty‐two patients developed localized herpes zoster. The remaining three patients developed atypical non‐localized herpes zoster, which was associated with visceral dissemination in one patient. All the patients responded well to antiviral therapy. Unexpectedly, the absence of grade II–IV acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) was associated with a higher rate of VZV reactivation after CBT (100% versus 55%, P = 0·01). These results suggest that recovery of VZV‐specific immune responses after CBT is delayed even in patients without severe acute GVHD.