Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1983. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Persistent cytomegalovirus infection: association with profound immunodeficiency and treatment with interferon.
Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1983 Jul;28(1):77-89. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/83260090 Pahwa S; Kirkpatrick D; Ching C; Lopez C; Pahwa R; Smithwick E; O'Reilly R; August C; Pasquariello P; Good RA
Abstract:
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was repeatedly isolated from urine and saliva of a 20-month-old male child with recurrent episodes of pneumonia, high fever, rash, lymphadenopathy, oral ulceration, and neutropenia. Immunologic evaluation revealed decreased serum IgG and IgA, increased IgM, depressed T- and B-lymphocyte functions, and decreased natural killer (NK) activity for herpes simplex-type I virus-infected targets. NK activity was augmented following exposure of the patient's lymphocytes to interferon (IF) in vitro. The child was treated with interferon (four courses, dosage varying from 2 million U/day to 1 million U three times/week for periods of 10, 28, 80, and 67 days, respectively, interspersed over 9 months) and hyperimmune plasma infusions every 3 weeks. Toward the end of interferon therapy oral Levamisole was started and a feeding gastrostomy was inserted to provide nutritional support. Clinical recovery was associated with reversal of immunologic abnormalities except for the hypogammaglobulinemia. Aggressive antiviral therapy (e.g., with IF) followed by immunostimulation (e.g., with Levamisole) may prove effective in controlling certain viral infections in immunodeficiency disorders.
Keywords: Agammaglobulinemia/COMPLICATIONS/*IMMUNOLOGY/THERAPY Antibodies, Viral/ANALYSIS/BIOSYNTHESIS Case Report Cytomegalovirus/IMMUNOLOGY/ISOLATION & PURIF Cytomegalovirus Infections/COMPLICATIONS/*IMMUNOLOGY/THERAPY Cytotoxicity, Immunologic Human IgA/DEFICIENCY IgG/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/DEFICIENCY IgM/ANALYSIS Infant Interferon Type I/*ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/PHYSIOLOGY Killer Cells, Natural/IMMUNOLOGY Levamisole/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE Lymphocyte Transformation Lymphocytes/CLASSIFICATION/IMMUNOLOGY Male Neutropenia/BLOOD/ETIOLOGY Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S. JOURNAL ARTICLE
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