Infections due to Cytomegalovirus(CMV) remain a significant problem for patients undergoing various types of transplants, including both hematopoietic stem cell transplants and solid organ transplant, particularly since these groups both require the use of potent immunosuppressive chemotherapy. Although the currently available systemic anti-cytomegalovirus agents are usually effective, their use is limited by their toxicities, especially in transplant recipients, who receive ongoing immunosuppressive medications to prevent organ rejection or graft-versus-host disease, and who receive other potential nephrotoxic therapies. The population of hematopoietic stem cell transplant and solid organ transplant recipients, whose CMV infections are increasingly refractory to available antiviral treatment, is an area of high unmet medical need as currently there are no approved treatment for resistant cytomegalovirus infections.
To help discover ways to meet this need, here at UNMC, Dr. Florescu and her research team are leading a study in transplant recipients of a drug for the treatment of CMV infections, including those resistant or refractory to standard of care.
Learn more about ID research at UNMC here.
Content courtesy of Dr. Diana Florescu.