EBV occurs commonly in the general population and generally remains latent; however, immunocompromised patients are susceptible to an active EBV infection that can lead to post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD).
Since viremia is considered the best predictor of the disease, monitoring the EBV DNA levels in the blood by quantitative real-time PCR in these patients may allow timely recognition of virus reactivation and permit installment and assessment of antiviral treatment (rituximab) and/or a decrease of immunosuppressive therapies.
References
Kimura H., Morita M., Yabuta Y., Kuzushima K., Kato K., Kojima S., Takaharu M., and Morishima T. (1999). Quantitative analysis of Epstein-Barr virus loads by using a real-time assay. J Clin Microbiol. Vol 37:132-136
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