Virusinfektionen beim Immunsupprimieren

A multitude of viral agents have been reported to exhibit an increased and/or modified pathogenicity in the immunocompromised host. Viral infections are of clinical importance mainly in individuals with severe defects in T cell-mediated immunity. In this group of patients infections with human herpesviruses – in particular human cytomegalovirus – and with polyomaviruses and adenoviruses cause significant morbidity and mortality. Since clinical symptoms of viral infections of the immunocompromised host frequently are non-specific, early diagnosis, prognostic estimations, and initiation and monitoring of antiviral treatment largely have to rely on laboratory methods for the direct, quantitative detection of viral agents.