title: Evaluation of the Abbott AxSYM cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) assay in conjunction with other CMV IgM tests and a CMV IgG avidity assay.
abstract: The measurement of the avidity of cytomegalovirus (CMV) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies has been shown by several investigators to be useful in identifying and excluding primary CMV infections in pregnant women. In this work, we examined the diagnostic utility of reflex testing of CMV IgM-positive specimens from pregnant women by using a CMV IgG avidity assay. The utility of this approach was directly dependent on the sensitivity of the CMV IgM assay employed during the initial screen. The higher initial reactivity rate of the AxSYM CMV IgM assay was necessary in order to detect CMV IgM in specimens containing low-avidity CMV IgG antibodies, indicative of a primary CMV infection, which other CMV IgM assays (Behring, Vidas, Captia, and Eurogenetics) fail to detect in some cases. The use of the AxSYM CMV IgM assay, followed by an avidity test, should result in more accurate diagnosis of CMV infection in pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Microbiology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lazzarotto
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pulvirenti
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rescaldani
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vezzo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Gioia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Rocca
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agresti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grillner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nordin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Ranst
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Combs
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Maine
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Landini
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D000915:Antibody Affinity / Q000276:immunology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic