In order to diagnose, track, and forecast posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) in immunocompromised graft recipients, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA quantification is being introduced into standard medical practice.
What is posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder and what are its effects?
Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder(PTLD) is an aggressive tumor that almost always contains EBV DNA in the neoplastic cells.
It can be fatal if it is not identified and treated straight away.
Implementing EBV load assays by real-time PCR is made easier by validated methods, available reagents, and automated tools.
EBV DNA levels can be used to determine the clinical state of EBV-related neoplasia in either whole blood or plasma.
Low virus loads are common in healthy transplant recipients, while high EBV loads are significantly linked to either existing or future PTLD.
Simultaneous laboratory testing and histopathologicanalysis of lesional tissue aid in the interpretation of slight increases in viral load.
Circulating EBV levels are a useful, noninvasive technique for assessing the success of treatment since they reflect changes in tumor load in repeated samples.
Serial testing enables early clinical intervention to stop the progression of frank PTLD in high-risk patients.
A key method for treating PTLD is restoring T cell immunity against EBV, and innovative EBV-directed treatments are being investigated to prevent virus-driven neoplasia.