title: Comparison of several fixation methods for cytomegalovirus antigenemia assay.
abstract: Two fixation methods based on formaldehyde or acetone for qualitative cytomegalovirus antigenemia assay were evaluated on 405 consecutive blood samples. Cytomegalovirus was detected in 40 samples by the antigenemia assay: 36 were detected by formaldehyde fixation; 22, by acetone; and 18, by both methods. Differences were statistically significant (P = 0.0043). In addition, four fixation methods (two based on formalin [with and without permeabilization] and two using acetone at different fixation times) for quantitative antigenemia assay in a different set of 32 samples from known viremic patients were evaluated. Formalin-based methods were superior to acetone-based methods, showing statistically significant differences in either the number of positive samples detected (P < 0.02; McNemar test) or the mean positive cell counts (P < 0.003; two-tailed Student's t test for paired samples). No differences between the two formalin-based methods were found. We recommend the formaldehyde fixation procedure without subsequent permeabilization because of its simplicity and sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Service of Microbiology, Hospital Prínceps d'Espanya, Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Oña
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niubò
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Melón
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martín
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005404:Fixatives; D005557:Formaldehyde; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D005404:Fixatives; D000096:Acetone; D005557:Formaldehyde