Sodium Valproate and Cytomegalovirus latent viral loads version 1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The effect of Sodium Valproate on Cytomegalovirus latent viral loads
IRAS ID
155052
Contact name
John H Sinclair
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Cambridge
Research summary
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a persistent virus which undergoes intermittent reactivation in tissues with shedding of infectious virus in body fluids. Despite the exposure of the virus to the immune response during reactivation the virus is not cleared from infected people. Infection with HCMV does not usually cause overt disease, however it causes significant problems for people with compromised immune systems, such as organ transplant patients. We believe from previous studies that the antiepileptic drug sodium valproate may reduce the levels of virus in the body. We wish to see if this is likely to be relevant in people by assessing the levels of virus carriage in patients taking sodium valproate for their epilepsy.
REC name
South Central - Oxford B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/SC/1148
Date of REC Opinion
25 Sep 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion