CD4(+) T cell levels are decreased during active CMV infection in kidney transplant recipients.

The numbers of T lymphocytes and T cell subsets (CD2(+), CD3(+), CD4(+), CD8(+)), activated T cells (CD26(+)), B cells (CD19(+)), granulocytes (CD15(+)) and natural killer cells (CD16/56) were monitored by flow cytometry in 79 kidney transplant recipients, 35 of whom had cytomegalovirus infection. The percentages of these cells were correlated with viral load, as determined by cytomegalovirus antigenemia. Development of cytomegaloviral infection coincided with a significant reduction in the percentages of CD4(+) (P < 0.005) and CD3(+) (P < 0.05) cells. Monitoring of lymphocyte subsets may provide useful information on immunological events during cytomegaloviral infection.