Evaluation of Cytomegalovirus Infection after Six Months of Liver Transplantation in Children in Shiraz, Southern Iran

BACKGROUND Liver transplantation (LT) is a life-saving treatment for end-stage liver diseases (ESLD). Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the important causes of morbidity after LT. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence of late-onset (after 6 months of LT) CMV infection in pediatric recipients. METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted to evaluate 50 pediatric patients who underwent LT for 8 years at the LT Unit of Nemazee Hospital affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. We retrospectively investigated episodes of CMV infection after 6 months of LT proven by CMV antigenemia test. RESULTS Three recipients (6%) developed late-onset CMV infection. These patients finally responded to ganciclovir. CONCLUSION CMV infection is one of the most common post-LT viral infections that usually occurs in the first six months of LT. Our study shows that the incidence of late-onset CMV infection is relatively low, but it still remains a significant problem. Therefore, monitoring and management is crucial for improving the survival of children.