title: Comparative quantitation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in solid organ transplant recipients with CMV infection by using two high-throughput automated systems.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA quantitation in clinical specimens is progressively becoming a cornerstone in the diagnosis and management of CMV infection in the immunocompromised host. We evaluated two automated and reproducible PCR tests, the LightCycler (Roche Molecular Biochemicals, Indianapolis, Ind.) and the COBAS AMPLICOR CMV Monitor (Roche Diagnostics, Pleasanton, Calif.), for the detection of CMV DNA in blood samples from transplant recipients with CMV infection as determined by shell vial culture. Following a log transformation analysis, the mean CMV DNA in plasma (PL), whole blood (WB), peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL), and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) using the LightCycler was 6.79 copies per ml, 7.23 copies per ml, 6.38 copies per 2 x 10(6) cells, and 6.27 copies per 2 x 10(6) cells, respectively. This compares to 7.86 copies per ml, 8.37 copies per ml, 7.59 copies per 2 x 10(6) cells, and 7.44 copies per 2 x 10(6) cells, respectively, using COBAS AMPLICOR CMV Monitor. While higher CMV DNA levels were observed for the various blood compartments analyzed using COBAS AMPLICOR CMV Monitor, a high degree of correlation was evident between the two automated systems (jackknife correlation r = PL 0.77 [95% confidence interval (CI); 0.64, 0.90], WB 0.77 [95% CI; 0.62, 0.92], PBL 0.77 [95% CI; 0.67, 0.88], and PBMC 0.81 [95% CI; 0.72, 0.89], all P < 0.001). Therefore, we conclude that either automated diagnostic system is accurate for CMV DNA quantitation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Razonable
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Espy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rivero
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kremers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Groettum
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Paya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic