[Serological diagnosis of cytomegalovirus-induced interstitial pneumonia in patients following bone marrow transplantation].

For diagnosis of the interstitial pneumonia conditioned by cytomegalovirus (CMV) an indirect immunofluorescence test was used to measure IgM and IgG antibodies to CMV in 369 serum specimens from 41 patients after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). An interstitial pneumonia conditioned by CMV was diagnosed in 5 patients either serological (4 patients) or by detection of cytomegaloviral infection typical inclusion bodies in lung cells (1 patient). The detection of antibodies to CMV for diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia conditioned by CMV is problematical in the phase immediately after BMT because bone marrow recipients are severely immunosuppressed by radiation and cytotoxic drugs received before transplantation. New method for detection of CMV-specific antigens are necessary.