Infections with herpes viruses in connection with the administration of immunosuppressants

Infections with herpes viruses are frequently observed during the administration of immunosuppressive drugs after transplantation of solid organs and stem cells. The Epstein-Barr virus is one of the gammaherpes viruses, and 90-95% of the population in Germany are infected by the age of thirty. EBV can cause malignant diseases of the lymphatic system (e.g. Burkitt's lymphoma) as well as carcinomas in healthy and immunocompromised people.

EBV remains dormant in human B cells for life, its proliferation is prevented by the immune system. If this is suppressed, as is the case after a transplant, EBV can reactivate and become measurable again in the blood. An initial infection with EBV after transplantation is a risk factor for the development of a lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD); reactivation after an initial infection can also be a risk factor.