ATI Hematologic System Related

Review ATI Hematologic System related questions and content

A 4-year-old girl with a history of relapsed pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is being admitted for unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation conditioning. Pretransplant workup shows the following: Recipient: CMV IgG: negative, CMV IgM: negative, HSV I/II antibody: negative, Varicella IgG: positive (vaccinated), Hepatitis B surface antigen: negative, Hepatitis B surface antibody: positive (vaccinated), Hepatitis B core antibody: negative, Hepatitis C antibody: negative. Donor: CMV IgG: negative, CMV IgM: negative, HSV I/II antibody: positive, Varicella IgG: positive, Hepatitis B surface antigen: negative, Hepatitis B core antibody: negative, Hepatitis C antibody: negative. How should the patient be managed during the admission with respect to infection prophylaxis?

  • A. Acyclovir IV for herpes simplex virus (HSV) suppression
  • B. Weekly screening by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for cytomegalovirus (CMV) in blood
  • C. Antifungal prophylaxis
  • D. Valganciclovir PO for CMV suppression
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Antifungal prophylaxis. This patient is at high risk for fungal infections post-bone marrow transplantation due to the conditioning regimen with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation. CMV and HSV prophylaxis are not indicated as the patient and donor are negative for CMV IgG and IgM and the donor is positive for HSV antibodies. Weekly CMV PCR screening is not necessary in the absence of CMV seropositivity. Valganciclovir for CMV suppression is also not required in this case. Fungal prophylaxis is essential to prevent invasive fungal infections in high-risk patients like this 4-year-old with leukemia.