1983 Volume 24 Issue 3 Pages 242-248
The incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has recently increased in children with malignant diseases receiving intensive chemotherapy. 5 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 1 child with malignant histiocytosis developed CMV infection among 30 children who received induction chemotherapy during the last one year in our hospital. All cases showed marked rise in CMV CF-titer following clinical symptoms, such as persistent high fever, cough, liver dysfunction, anemia, pneumonitis, et al. In two cases, CMV was successfully separated in saliva and urine. High fever continued for 14 to 30 days. Abnormalities in liver function test appeared early, and roentgenographic findings for pneumonitis were found relatively late. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia occurred in two children. In three cases of our patients, CMV infection occurred 3 to 4 weeks after initiation of chemotherapy. From the immunological aspect, neutropenia, lymphocytopenia and serum γ globulin levels were not correlate to the host predisposition to CMV infection, but interestingly skin test with varicella virus antigen was negative among all three children who had anamnestic infection of natural varicella.
