Detection of herpesvirus DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction in cerebrospinal fluid of human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons with neurologic disease: a prospective evaluation.
A nested polymerase chain reaction-based method was used prospectively to detect herpesvirus DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 111 patients with AIDS, 39 of whom had a suspected diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-associated neurologic disease (patients with encephalopathy, polyradiculopathy, or peripheral neuropathy) and 72 who had alternative diagnoses. CSF from 24 (62%) of the patients with suspected CMV-associated disease had detectable CMV DNA compared with only 8 (11%) of the patients with other diagnoses. Varicella-zoster virus DNA was detected in CSF from 3 patients (2 with myelitis and 1 with encephalitis), all of whom had recent cutaneous zoster. No CSF specimen contained detectable herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA, and none of the patients with myelitis had detectable herpes simplex virus type 2 DNA in CSF. This study demonstrates a significant association between detectable CMV DNA in CSF and suspected CMV-associated neurologic disease in patients with AIDS.
Fox
J D
JD
Department of Medical Microbiology, University College London Medical School and Hospitals, United Kingdom.
Brink
N S
NS
Zuckerman
M A
MA
Neild
P
P
Gazzard
B G
BG
Tedder
R S
RS
Miller
R F
RF
D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004279:DNA, Viral