Low absolute neutrophilic and lymphocytic counts in children with CMV reactivation following HSCT

Abstract

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the commonest infections after hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and it may lead to significant morbidity, mortality and can lead increased healthcare costs. Aim: The aim of this work was to evaluate the relation between neutrophilic and lymphocytic count recovery in children with CMV reactivation following HSCT. Method: The study included 30 patients with CMV reactivation who underwent allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for non-malignant diseases in Abo El-Reesh Al Mounira Pediatric Hospital, Cairo University. Pre- and post-transplant clinical and laboratory data were collected. Results: The 30 patients developed 69 episodes of CMV reactivation. 66.6% and 53.5% of the reactivation episodes were associated with low absolute lymphopenic and neutrophilic respectively. The early CMV reactivation episodes were associated with severe low absolute lymphocytic and neutrophilic counts with p value (0.003, 0.006) respectively. Conclusion: Neutrophilic and lymphocytic count recovery is an important factor associated with reactivation. Importance of close monitoring of viral load among lymphopenic and neutropenic patients for strong surveillance and early detection of CMV reactivation and proper management.