A randomized prospective trial of oral versus intravenous ganciclovir for prophylaxis of cytomegalovirus infection and disease in high-risk kidney recipients.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of oral versus intravenous ganciclovir in high-risk kidney recipients. METHODS: Thirty-four, cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive recipients of kidneys from seropositive donors who had undergone antilymphocytic immunosuppressive therapy were assigned randomly to oral (1000 mg, three times a day, 12 weeks) versus intravenous (5 mg/kg, 2 weeks) ganciclovir prophylaxis. Follow-up was performed for 12 months. The patients were evaluated for clinical and laboratory outcomes regarding CMV serostatus, CMV disease, graft outcome, and ganciclovir side effects. RESULTS: Sixteen patients in the oral group and 14 in the intravenous group completed the study. CMV infection occurred in 6 (37.5%) and 5 (35.7%) cases in the oral and intravenous groups, respectively (P = NS). The mean interval between prophylaxis initiation and the first positive CMV Ag result was 3 +/- 2.19 months, with no significant difference between the two groups. Only two patients in the intravenous group experienced CMV diseases, which were not tissue-invasive. Acute rejection episodes were observed in nine out of 30 recipients, but it did not show any association with the prophylaxis regimen or CMV serostatus. The patients tolerated oral ganciclovir well; the compliance percent was 81.6%. No complication was reported. CONCLUSION: Oral and intravenous ganciclovir showed no significant difference to reduce the rate of CMV infection among high-risk kidney recipients. Oral ganciclovir was also effective and safe for the prevention of CMV disease. Moreover, it seems that CMV infection was not associated with acute rejection episodes.

Occurrence, distribution and relative incidence of mosaic viruses infecting field--grown squash in Tehran province, Iran.

Squash (Cucurbita pepo) belongs to Cucurbitaceae family. Every year Cucurbitaceae are planted world wide. They are one of the most important economic crops. Cucurbitaceae are threatened by viruses. Many viruses damage the plants of this family. Since nine viruses have been reported on squash from Iran. In this survey, during 2002--2003, to determine the distribution of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) and Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), 466 samples were collected from squash field in Tehran province. Infected plants showing symptoms such as: mosaic, yellowing, deformation, shoestring of leaves and fruit deformation and yield reduction. Distribution of CMV, ZYMV and WMV were determined by DAS-ELISA. Thepercentage of ZYMV, WMV and CMV were 35.6, 26.1 and 25.1% respectively. Triple infection (CMV+ZYMV+WMV) were found in 6.4% of samples. ZYMV were found the most frequently the viruses. This is the first report of WMV on squash in Tehran province.

Occurrence and distribution of lettuce mosaic disease in Tehran province from Iran.

Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV) Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) were identified in fields of Tehran province. In this study 452 leaf samples were collected from the fields throughout the Tehran province during 2002 and 2003. Distribution of Lettuce mosaic virus (LMV), Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV)and Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV) was determined with DAS-ELISA. Percentage of single Infection to LMV. CMV or TSWV was 20.58, 15.93 and 9.96% respectively. Also 15.28% of samples were co- infected with LMV+CMV, 8.19% with LMV+TSMV and 7.74% with CMV+TSWV. 4.65% of samples were Infected to all of these three viruses. LMV was found in 48.69%, CMV in 43.59% and TSWV in 30.54% of samples totally. Therefore LMV is major dominant agent of lettuce mosaic disease in Tehran province. This is the first report of occurrence of TSWV on lettuce in Iran and first report of CMV and LMV in Tehran province.

Biological and molecular characterization of lettuce mosaic virus from Tehran province in Iran.

In this study, lettuce samples having LMV infection symptoms were collected from Tehran fields during 2003. Samples tested for LMV infection by immuno printing. Three positive samples in immuno printing collected and their characteristics were determined. In mechanical inoculation, these Isolates produced symptoms on Chenopodium quinoa, C. amaranticolor, Gomphrena globosa, Nicotiana benthamiana, Lactuca sativa cv. Mantilia and cv. Terocadero (which contains the mol1 resistance gene and susceptible respectively), but not cv. Salinas 88 (which contains the mol2 resistance gene). LMV was purified and LMV polyclonal antiserum was produced in rabbit by a series of intravenous and intramuscular injections, the precipitin titre of this antiserum was 1:1024. Gel double diffusion test (GDDT) was performed, and precipitin bands appeared. SDS-PAGE and western blotting showed the presence of coat protein 29 kDa. In IC-RT-PCR with on LMV specific primer pair, an approximately 1300 bp fragment was amplified.