title: [Comparative efficacy of laboratory methods for cytomegalovirus detection in autopsy material].
abstract: Eighty eight autopsy specimens obtained from 30 fetuses, still-borns and infants died during the first year of life, all suspected for congenital virus infection at postmortem examination, were studied. The specimens were analyzed by 3 techniques: rapid culture method (RCM) for detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infectious activity, the immunocytochemical method for detection of CMV antigen in prints of organs and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection CMV DNA. CMV was detected in 16 out of 26 specimens (61.5%) by PCR, in 43 out of 88 specimens (49%) by RCM and in 15 out of 64 specimens (23%) in prints. The comparison of immune reagents revealed that monoclonal antibodies (McAb) were more specific than polyclonal serum antibodies, as the latter yielded the positive reaction in 10 out of 26 cases (38%), found to be negative in PCR. The data thus obtained indicate that complex techniques, including PCR and RCM in combination with McAb, should be used for evaluation of CMV infection role in child mortality.
authors.affiliation: Ivanovsky Research Institute of Virology, Research Institute of Pediatrics, Research Institute of Phisiko-Chemical Medicine, Research and Production Firm Litekh, Morozovskaya Children's Clinical Hospital, Moscow, Russia.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Medzhidova
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Nisevich
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Fedorova
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Il'ina
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Talalaev
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Adueva
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Khizhniakova
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Malakhova
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Govorun
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Kushch
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014773:Virology / Q000379:methods*