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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, January 2001, p. 251-259, Vol. 39, No. 1
Organon Teknika,
Boxtel,1 Department of Pathology,
University Hospital, Vrije Universiteit,
Amsterdam,2 and Department of Clinical
Immunology, University Hospital Groningen,
Groningen,3 The Netherlands
Received 26 July 2000/Returned for modification 8 September
2000/Accepted 25 October 2000
The dynamics of active human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection was
monitored by competitive nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) assays for quantification of IE1 (UL123) and pp67 (UL65) mRNA
expression levels in the blood of patients after lung transplantation. RNA was isolated from 339 samples of 13 lung transplant recipients and
analyzed by the quantitative IE1 and pp67 NASBA in parallel with pp65
antigenemia and serology. Rapid increases in IE1 RNA exceeding
104 copies per 100 µl of blood were associated with
active infection, whereas lower levels were suggestive for abortive,
subclinical viral activity. Any positive value for pp67 RNA was
indicative for active infection, and quantification of pp67 mRNA did
not give additional diagnostic information. The onset of IE1-positive NASBA preceded pp67 NASBA and was earlier than the pp65 antigenemia assay, confirming previous studies with qualitative NASBA. Effective antiviral treatment was reflected by a rapid disappearance of pp67
mRNA, whereas IE1 mRNA remained detectable for longer periods. Quantification of IE1 might be relevant to monitor progression of HCMV
infection but should be validated in prospective studies.
0095-1137/01/$04.00+0 DOI: 10.1128/JCM.39.1.251-259.2001
Copyright © 2001, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Direct Quantification of Human Cytomegalovirus
Immediate-Early and Late mRNA Levels in Blood of Lung Transplant
Recipients by Competitive Nucleic Acid Sequence-Based
Amplification
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Pathology, Academic Hospital, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1117, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Phone: 31-20-4444070. Fax: 31-20-4442964. E-mail: J.Middeldorp{at}azvu.nl.
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