1989 Volume 63 Issue 10 Pages 1182-1186
To evaluate the effectiveness of the immunoglobulin (IG) treatment for the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia in the cases with allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT), we examined the neutralizing activity of the IG preparation against both the free CMV particles and the cells infected with CMV in vitro. The results were as follows:
1) IG neutralized the free CMV particles but not the cells infected with CMV.
2) There was no difference in the number and size of plaques between the two overlay media with and without IG. These findings suggest that IG can not obstruct the cell to cell infection with CMV.
Accordingly, it is concluded that if the effect of IG treatment in BMT cases is criginated from the neutralizing antibody, it may be explained by neutralizing of the free viruses but not by obstructing the cell to cell infection with CMV.
