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Updated: Aug 13, 2026

qPCR Is a Sensitive and Rapid Method for Detection of Cytomegaloviral DNA in Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Biopsy Tissue
Published on: July 9, 2014
Relation between pp65 antigenemia, RT-PCR and viruria for cytomegalovirus detection in kidney transplant recipients
R Solà1, N Rabella, L L Guirado
1Unitat de Transplantament Renal, Fundació Puigvert, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain. rsola@fundacio-pvigvert.es
Introduction:
We compared the efficiency of detection using pp65 antigenemia, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and viruria for the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections after kidney transplantation.
Patients And Methods:
We evaluated 40 renal transplant recipients between weeks 5 and 12 after transplantation, including 179 blood and 181 urine specimens.
Results:
All positive samples by antigenemia were also positive by PCR. However, in 52 cases only PCR was positive (kappa = 0.134 [P < .001]). Viruria was positive in 66 cases, but only 26 were CMV PCR positive. In 34 cases, viruria was negative and PCR positive (P = .192).
Conclusion:
Detection of DNA in serum is a more sensitive method than antigenemia for the diagnosis of CMV infection. Viruria was not related to the presence of CMV in blood.
