QuantiFERON-CMV Test in a Prediction for Colic Cytomegalovirus Reactivation During Ulcerative Colitis

Place of the QuantiFERON-CMV (QF-CMV) Test in a Prediction for Colic Cytomegalovirus Reactivation During Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) infection impairs evolution of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) leading to more severe and resistant to immunosuppressive therapies flare-up. CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) reactivation is assessed by the quantification of the CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA) load by real-time PCR (qPCR) in colonic biopsies; this assay is invasive and costly. The QuantiFERON-CytoMegaloVirus (QF-CMV) assay measures the immune response against CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) in a blood specimen.

This study aim to evaluate the performances of this new assay to predict the risk of CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) reactivation in the colon of UC patients. A new algorithm for the care of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) patients that could be used in all centers, even those without molecular biology lab, could be proposed: in case of a positive QuantiFERON-CytoMegaloVirus (QF-CMV) assay, the immune response protects the patient against Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation and intensification of immunosuppressive therapies should be proposed; at the opposite, a negative QuantiFERON-CytoMegaloVirus (QF-CMV) assay will invite to biopsy in order to detect CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) replication and to treat with ganciclovir when appropriate. This algorithm will preserve invasive biopsies in absence of CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) tissue reactivation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient with seropositive for CytoMegaloVirus (CMV) (IgG+)
• Patient requiring hospitalization for flare of Ulcerative Colitis (UC) with Mayo score > 5 and an endoscopic subscore ≥ 2
• Social security affiliation
• Signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Wardship patient and curatorial patient
• Patient unable to understand or sign the protocol
• Colectomy total or partial