Objective: To study the different cytomegalovirus (CMV) glycoprotein (G) B genotypes in the patients with CMV infection after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and the correlation between genotype and pathogenesis of CMV disease.
Methods: Thirty-eight patients received allogenetic from March 2001 to December 2003. CMV GB DNA was detected with nested-PCR in all the patients and the products were digested with RsaI and HinfI.
Results: The distribution of GB types were as follows: GB1, 19/38 (50.0%); GB2, 3/38 (7.9%), GB3, 14/38 (36.8%). GB1 was associated with favorable clinical outcome, while GB3 might contribute to fatal interstitial pneumonia (IP). The incidences of graft versus host disease (GVHD) were not different significantly between the patients with GB1 and those with GB3.
Conclusion: CMV GB genotypes might play an important role in the pathogenesis of CMV-IP, but not of GVHD.