Cord Blood; UCBT Cures Severe Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection After Double HSCT Failure

Blood Weekly
January 12, 2006

2006 JAN 12 - (NewsRx.com) -- Umbilical cord blood transplantation cures severe chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection after double failure of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

According to a study from Japan, "An 11-year-old boy with severe chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) underwent successful cord blood transplantation (CBT) after consecutive failure of peripheral blood and bone marrow transplantation from his HILA-mismatched mother.

"CB cells from an unrelated donor were infused after conditioning with total body irradiation (12 Gy), melphalan (120 mg/m2), and etoposide (600 mg/m2). Complete remission without circulating EBV-DNA has continued for 15 months after a delayed hematologic recovery."

"This is the first successful report of CBT for CAEBV," wrote M. Ishimura and colleagues at Kyushu University in Fukuoka.

The authors concluded, "CB may, therefore, be an alternate source of stem cells for the curative treatment of CAEBV, despite the absence of EBV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes."

Ishimura and colleagues published the results of their research in American Journal of Hematology (Successful umbilical cord blood transplantation for severe chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection after the double failure of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Am J Hematol, 2005;80(3):207-212).

For additional information, contact S. Ohga, Kyushu University, Graduate School of Medicine Science, Dept. Pediatrics, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Fukuoka 8128582, Japan.

The publisher of the American Journal of Hematology can be contacted at: Wiley-Liss, Division John Wiley & Sons Inc., 111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.

Keywords: Fukuoka, Japan, Chronic Active Epstein-Barr Virus Infection, Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation, Failed Stem Cell Transplantation, Curative Treatment.

This article was prepared by Blood Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Blood Weekly via NewsRx.com.

------------------------------------------------------------------------