title: QuantiFERON®-CMV assay for the assessment of cytomegalovirus cell-mediated immunity.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has historically been a major complication among immunocompromised patients, such as solid-organ and stem-cell transplant recipients and patients with advanced HIV infection. While the introduction of antiretroviral therapy has almost eradicated CMV infection in HIV-infected patients, CMV disease remains a significant problem in transplant recipients once antiviral prophylaxis is discontinued. QuantiFERON(®)-CMV allows the assessment of cellular immunity against CMV by detecting the production of IFN-γ following in vitro stimulation with CMV antigens. Preliminary studies have shown a correlation between a lack of detectable cell-mediated immunity measured by the QuantiFERON-CMV assay and a higher incidence of CMV infection and disease in immunocompromised patients. Measurement of cell-mediated immunity against CMV appears to be a promising strategy to identify patients at highest risk for the development of CMV disease and, therefore, to individualize preventive strategies for CMV in transplant recipients.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Service, Department of Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giulieri
authors.forename: Oriol
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Manuel
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014181:Transplantation Immunology
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D018984:Epitopes, T-Lymphocyte; D007371:Interferon-gamma