Cytomegalovirus antibody detection by three commercially available assays and complement fixation

Four methods (complement fixation, latex agglutination, qualitative EIA, and quantitative EIA) for detecting antibody to cytomegalovirus (CMV) were compared by testing 103 sera. When ranked according to accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, the complement fixation test was third, fourth, and first; the latex agglutination test was first, second, and third; the qualitative EIA was fourth, first, and fourth, whereas the quantitative EIA was second, third, and first, respectively. In addition, the complement fixation, latex agglutination, and quantitative EIA systems each satisfactorily detected significant antibody rises in paired sera.