[Adenovirus infections in children: experience in the field of the allogeneic stem cell transplantation].

UNLABELLED: Adenovirus (Adv) infections are frequent in pediatric patients, sometimes serious, above all in immunocompromised children. We report the cases of 2 children who presented an Adv infection after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT).

CASE REPORTS: Case n(o) 1 concerns a boy who received SCT at the age of 6 years. He had a hemorragic cystitis, which resolved after antiviral treatment and successful engraftment. Case n(o) 2 concerns a boy who received SCT at the age of 2. He shortly presented a disseminated infection, and died in spite of antiviral treatment and re-infusion of an autologous transplant.

DISCUSSION: T-cell depletion (mainly carried out in vivo at present) is the major risk factor of Adv infection after allogeneic SCT. It is important to be recognized, in order to proceed to a routine screening among transplanted patients. Moreover, the detection of viral genoma by molecular biology is a predictive factor of disseminated disease development, with mortality rates higher than 50%. Early treatment is thus crucial. Immunotherapy is to be developed, by tapering of immunosuppression, or by manipulating grafts and donor lymphocyte infusions, in order to improve Adv specific responses. The possibility of a prophylaxis is still to be investigated.