title: PCR activity of CMV in healthy CMV-seropositive individuals: does latency need redefinition?
abstract: To demonstrate a possible association between stress factors and the presence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in leukocytes and in cell-free body fluids, at 2-week intervals over a 6-month period, specimens were taken for HCMV DNA testing from 11 healthy CMV-seropositive individuals who were also surveyed for stress-producing events occurring during the previous week. A positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) signal was given in 104/127 (81.9%) urines, 73/127 (57.3%) throat washings and 68/127 (53.6%) leukocyte samples. An association was found between HCMV DNA in urine and a stress-producing event at work (p < 0.04). An association was also found between detection of HCMV DNA in throat washings and alcohol ingestion (P < 0.006) and between the presence of oral herpes lesions and the detection of HCMV DNA in leukocytes (p < 0.0019). The results suggest that viral reactivation is more common than previously thought and that stress may be a triggering event.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Virologia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellin, Colombia.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ossa
mesh_terms: D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D017735:Virus Latency; D014838:Volunteers
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral