Adoptive T cell immunotherapy for treatment of ganciclovir-resistant cytomegalovirus disease in a renal transplant recipient

Abstract

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant cause of morbidity, mortality and graft loss in solid organ transplantation (SOT). Treatment options for ganciclovir-resistant CMV are limited. We describe a case of ganciclovir-resistant CMV disease in a renal transplant recipient manifested by thrombotic microangiopathy-associated glomerulopathy. Adoptive T cell immunotherapy using CMV-specific T cells from a donor bank was used as salvage therapy. This report is a proof-of-concept of the clinical and logistical feasibility of this therapy in SOT recipients.

Keywords: antibiotic drug resistance; antibiotic: antiviral-ganciclovir/valganciclovir; clinical research/practice; infection and infectious agents; infectious disease; kidney transplantation/nephrology; viral: Cytomegalovirus (CMV).