title: Positive Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus IgM assays in primary HIV infection.
abstract: We report three cases with misleading cytomegalovirus (CMV) or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immunoglobulin M (IgM) results during primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We determined the rate of positive anti-CMV IgM assays or anti-EBV capsid antigen IgM assays in sera from a group of well-characterized subjects with primary HIV infection as 2.9% (1/35; 95%CI: 0.15-16.6%) for each infection. The rate of positive anti-EBV capsid antigen IgM assays in subjects with positive hepatitis A virus IgM assays was 30% (6/20; 95%CI: 14.6-51.9%). Clinicians need to consider the limitations of IgM assays for diagnosis of herpesvirus infections, and consider testing for other infections with overlapping clinical manifestations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW, Australia. j.post@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Jeffrey J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Post
authors.forename: Mun Khin
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: L Ross
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Whybin
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Rawlinson
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Peter W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Robertson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D035922:Hepatitis A Antibodies; D007075:Immunoglobulin M