[Cytomegalovirus: comparative study of diagnostic techniques].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to undertake a comparative study of a series of diagnostic techniques of active infection by cytomegalovirus (CMV) in blood (isolation of CMV by shell vial, detection of specific anti-CMV IgG and IgM, antigenemia-detection of pp65 antigen by staining with peroxidase- and two variants of qualitative polymerase chain reaction [PCR]-conventional PCR or in one step and nested PCR-for detection of viral DNA).


METHODS
Fifty kidney transplant patients were followed for the first 6 post transplant months. All except 6 were seropositive for CMV prior to transplantation and only one seronegative patient had a seronegative donor.


RESULTS
A total of 750 blood samples were analyzed, 8 of which were positive by shell vial, 91 by specific IgM detection, 115 by antigenemia, 225 for conventional PCR and 440 for nested PCR. No positive sample was detected throughout follow up by any of the techniques used in only 4 patients (one being the seronegative receptor with a seronegative donor).


CONCLUSIONS
Antigenemia was found to be the fastest, cheapest and simplest method of diagnosing CMV, presenting the advantage of providing quantitative results which allow the establishment of a relationship with the appearance of symptomatic infections. With the two variants used qualitative PCR was observed to be the earliest and most sensitive technique, while being the most difficult and the most expensive, with the disadvantage that its great sensitivity limits its clinical usefulness.
Yagüe
V
V
Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Hospital Universitario San Carlos, Madrid.
Cour
I
I
Kanaan
A
A
Alvarez
R
R
Fernández
C
C
Picazo
J
J
Prats
D
D
D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
Citomegalovirus: estudio comparativo de técnicas de diagnóstico.