[Diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection with the polymerase chain reaction and antigenemia in patients after allogenic peripheral stem cell transplantation--comparison of 318 paired samples].
BACKGROUND
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) represents a serious infectious complication in patients after allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Timely initiation of the therapy at the time of incipient active CMV infection (preemptive therapy) is an important prevention of CMV disease. It is not clear, what is the best indicator of this incipient CMV infection.


RESULTS
The significance of the detection of incipient CMV infection by CMV-antigenaemia and DNA-viraemia was compared in this study. DNA-viraemia was detected by the non-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The sensitivity of nested and non-nested PCR was also compared experimentally. We tested 318 blood samples for antigenaemia and DNA-viraemia. Six samples were significantly positive for PCR, no sample was significantly positive for antigenaemia. Timely initiation of therapy resulted in the rapid eradication of the incipient active CMV infection and clearance of DNA-viraemia.


CONCLUSIONS
Non-nested PCR is a suitable and more reliable method for the monitoring of incipient active CMV infection and it is a good method for timely initiation of preemptive antiviral therapy.
Mayer
J
J
II. interní hematoonkologická klinika FN, Brno-Bohunice.
Dvoráková
D
D
Krahulová
M
M
Vorlícek
J
J
Adler
J
J
D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000956:Antigens, Viral