This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Boland, G J Articles by de Gast, G C Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Boland, G J Articles by de Gast, G C

Detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in granulocytes by polymerase chain reaction compared with the CMV antigen test.

Department of Hematology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.

ABSTRACT

To compare the sensitivity and suitability of detection of active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection by using monoclonal antibodies against CMV antigen (antigen test to detect antigenemia) and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR; to detect viral DNA) in granulocytes, 19 heart and 2 lung transplant recipients were closely monitored by these tests for at least 3 months after transplantation. All patients were CMV seropositive or had a seropositive donor. In total, 201 samples were tested; 46 were positive by both tests, 9 samples showed only antigenemia, 54 samples were positive by PCR only, and 102 samples were negative by both tests. PCR was positive earlier after transplantation in eight patients, whereas antigenemia was positive earlier after transplantation in one patient. In another four patients, both tests were positive at the same time. PCR was, on average, positive for a longer period of time. Discordant results showing a positive antigen test and a negative PCR were partly due to sampling error; some were positive by PCR on retesting. Samples which were negative by the antigen test and positive by PCR were taken at the beginning or at the end of an active CMV infection. In two patients, no active CMV infection was detected by the antigen test, cultures of urine and saliva, or serology, although PCR was positive for a long period of time in the two patients.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Hadaya, K., Wunderli, W., Deffernez, C., Martin, P.-Y., Mentha, G., Binet, I., Perrin, L., Kaiser, L. (2003). Monitoring of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients by an Ultrasensitive Plasma PCR Assay. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 3757-3764 [Abstract] [Full Text]