Screening of blood donors for cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies: an evaluation of different tests.
The incidence of transfusion-associated cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections is related to the number of donors and the volume of blood. In immunosuppressed patients primary CMV infection is associated with a high morbidity and/or mortality. These infections can be prevented by the use of CMV negative blood products. A test for screening of CMV antibodies should have a high sensitivity and specificity and in addition be rapid and easily automated. In the present study the routine method in the laboratory, a CMV ELISA using a nuclear CMV antigen, was compared with Vironostika CMV anti-IgG MicroELISA, CMVSCAN, a latex agglutination test and a new ELISA from Organon Teknika, Vironostika CMV one-step MicroELISA. Sera from 419 blood donors were tested by all four tests. Discordant results were resolved by Western blot analysis using a glycine-extracted CMV antigen. The sensitivity was 100% for CMV ELISA and CMVSCAN and 99 and 96% for the CMV anti-IgG and CMV one-step tests respectively. The specificity was 100, 99, 94 and 100%, respectively. The ELISAs are suitable for screening of large numbers of serum samples and the CMV one-step test in particular was rapid and easy to perform although the sensitivity has to be increased. The latex agglutination test has the advantage of being extremely rapid.
Grillner
L
L
Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001782:Blood Donors; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007841:Latex Fixation Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral