The best strategy for control of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in lung transplant patients is still not determined. The aim of this study was to document the incidence of CMV infection in a cohort of lung transplant recipients under universal prophylaxis with intravenous ganciclovir. All patients received immunosuppressive regimens consisting of cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone. Regardless of CMV serostatus, intravenous ganciclovir was prescribed for every patient in the first 3 months post-transplantation. CMV infection was defined as the detection of CMV pp65 in leukocytes. Eighty-two lung transplant patients were included over a 5-year period. The incidence of CMV infection in the first year post-transplantation was 68.3%, occurring after a median length of 114 days (range, 26-343 days). This study revealed a high incidence of CMV infection in the first year following lung transplantation despite prolonged universal ganciclovir prophylaxis.

Objetivos: este artigo faz uma revisão dos principais aspectos relacionados com o transplante pulmonar na população pediátrica, e traz a experiência da equipe pioneira na realização do procedimento na América Latina. Fontes de dados: foram utilizadas informações através de revisão bibliográfica, realizada por busca direta de artigos científicos e por pesquisa nas bases de dados Medline e Lilacs. Síntese dos dados: o artigo é estruturado em tópicos, nos quais procura identificar as semelhanças e as diferenças com o transplante pulmonar do adulto. Discute os problemas específicos da criança transplantada e enfatiza uma situação específica, a do transplante pulmonar com doadores vivos aparentados. Conclusões: os avanços observados no transplante pulmonar realizado em adultos, para tratamento de doenças pulmonares, parenquimatosas ou vasculares, têm sido transferidos, nos últimos anos, para a população pediátrica, com sucesso crescente.

Objective: this article presents a review of the main aspects related to lung transplant in children and shows the experience of the first medical team to perform this procedure in Latin America. Sources: Literature review of scientific articles, using the Medline and Lilacs databases. Summary of the findings: the article was organized into topics. Similarities and differences regarding lung transplant in adults were identified. Specific problems presented by children subjected to transplant are discussed, and special emphasis is given to a specific situation: lung transplant with living related donors. Conclusions: advances in adult lung transplant for the treatment of parenchymatous or vascular lung diseases have been successfully employed in the pediatric population during the last few years.