Cytomegalovirus Infection and the Postperfusion Syndrome

Abstract

Virologic studies initiated retrospectively resulted in recovery of cytomegalovirus (CMV) from four patients with the postperfusion syndrome and from the urine of one of four donors of fresh blood. In all the patients virus was found in association with circulating leukocytes. Cytomegaloviremia persisted in the face of circulating antibody in three patients. Preoperative serums revaled no measurable CMV antibody in these patients. Complement-fixing antibody to CMV was detected after operation in all four cases and was accompanied or preceded by the appearance of specific anti-CMV macroglobulin. The results of the studies in these four patients with the postperfusion syndrome suggest that the CMV infections demonstrated were primary, and support the concept that this virus, associated with some febrile postperfusion illnesses, may be transmitted with fresh blood in the fraction rich in leukocytes.