title: Comparison of two commercially available pp65 antigenemia tests and COBAS Amplicor CMV Monitor for early detection and quantification of episodes of human CMV-viremia in transplant recipients.
abstract: The performance of two commercially available CMV pp65 antigenemia (AG) assays (CINA kit, Argene Biosoft, CK, and CMV Brite kit, IQ Products, CBK), and a quantitative PCR test (COBAS Amplicor CMV Monitor Test, Roche Diagnostics, CACM) was evaluated with 667 blood samples from 215 transplant recipients. The diagnostic value of the three tests was defined by their ability to detect episodes of systemic CMV activity. A test score was defined, assigning 7 virtual units (VU) for any episode detected first, 5 VU for any episode detected second, and three VU for any episode detected last. Within the evaluated collective, the following overall scores could be determined for the three assays: 45 VU for the CK, 39 for CACM and 31 for the CBK assay. We conclude from our results that (1) the CK is superior to the CBK assay in detecting episodes of CMV antigenemia, and (2) quantitative serum CMV PCR with CACM is not generally superior to pp65 antigenemia testing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Microbiology, Clinical Virology, University of Munster, Munster, Germany.
authors.forename: Gunter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: May
authors.forename: Joachim E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Bodo R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Eing
mesh_terms: D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D014763:Viral Matrix Proteins; C065418:cytomegalovirus matrix protein 65kDa