Inhibitory effects of various anticoagulants on the infectivity of human cytomegalovirus.
We assessed the extent to which the anticoagulants heparin, sodium citrate, Alsever's solution and ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) (at standard low concentration or at high concentration as attained when only a small blood volume was collected into anticoagulant) inhibited the infectivity of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). All four anticoagulants had minimal effects on cell-associated virus, but heparin at either low or high concentration and EDTA at high concentration reduced the titre of cell-free virus by 10-100 fold. The large inhibitory effects of heparin and EDTA on cell-free virus indicated that sodium citrate or Alsever's solution were preferable as anticoagulants when blood was collected for assay of CMV viraemia by virus isolation.
Kimpton
C P
CP
Department of Medical Microbiology, Manchester, U.K.
Morris
D J
DJ
Corbitt
G
G
D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology; D003588:Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral; D006801:Humans; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
D000925:Anticoagulants