The cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA load in leukocytes was measured in 26 immunocompromised patients with CMV disease before and after 10 days of intravenous ganciclovir therapy. Before therapy, the circulating DNA burden of bone marrow transplant recipients was significantly lower than that of other transplant or AIDS patients. Ganciclovir induction therapy significantly decreased the viral DNA load in the leukocyte populations of most patients.
