Longitudinal study of cytomegalovirus antibodies in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibody profiles were studied in 25 HIV-infected patients over periods of up to 56 months. Specific antibodies against CMV antigen components were monitored by complement-fixation (CF) test, EIA, Western blot and a neutralization assay. Three subjects remained CMV seronegative throughout the study. Marked fluctuations were observed in anti-CMV antibodies assayed by the CF test as compared to a control group. Fluctuations on immunoblots of purified virion antigens were also observed in the HIV-infected patients; neutralizing antibodies and anti-CMV nucleocapsid antibodies showed less variability. Seven of 22 individuals exhibited an increase in CF-test titre of up to 64-fold without clinically apparent CMV disease. On Western-blot testing of IgG reactivity with disrupted virions, ten individuals exhibited increasing reactivity to pp65, and only three of these also showed a titre rise in the CF test. In contrast, 7 of 22 showed low reactivity to the pp28 antigen. The homosexual patient group exhibited the highest levels of anti-CMV antibody. In conclusion, many asymptomatic HIV-infected subjects showed fluctuations at different levels of their antibody response to CMV, thought to be indicative of CMV reactivation/reinfection. Western-blot findings indicated that some CMV antibodies increased in level while others were lost.
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Medical Department B, Haukeland Hospital, University of Bergen, Norway.
Haukenes
G
G
Nilsen
A
A
Skjaerven
R
R
Forsgren
M
M
Fehniger
T E
TE
D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003168:Complement Fixation Tests; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007075:Immunoglobulin M