Seroprevalence of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in patients with haematological malignancies in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

With improvement in the management of cancer patients, viral infections have become important complications affecting morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in patients with haematological malignancies, with or without past history of blood transfusion in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja (LASUTH). A cross-sectional, case control study was carried out among healthy blood donors attending the blood donor clinic and patients with confirmed haematological malignancies. A total of 5 ml blood sample was collected from each consenting participant and the serum was assayed for CMV IgG and CMV IgM using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based kit. A total of 148 participants were recruited into the study consisting of 72 patients with haematologic malignancy and 76 healthy blood donors. The seroprevalence of anti-CMV IgG was similar in both groups (98.6% and 94.7% respectively) while there was a higher anti-CMV IgM seropositivity in patients with haematologic malignancies ( 26.4%) than in healthy blood donors (9.2%).A history of blood transfusion was not significantly related to CMV seropositivity (p= 0.791). Anti-CMV IgM seropositivity was higher in patients with haematologic malignancies than in healthy controls, while seroprevalence of anti-CMV IgG was similar in both groups. Previous history of blood transfusion was not related to CMV seropositivity.

Keywords: CMV antibodies, haematological malignancy, blood donors