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[Cytomegalovirus: comparative study of diagnostic techniques]
1Servicio de Microbiología Clínica, Hospital Universitario San Carlos, Madrid.
Enfermedades Infecciosas Y Microbiologia Clinica
|July 1, 1998
Summary
This study compared cytomegalovirus (CMV) diagnostic methods in kidney transplant patients. Antigenemia is fastest and cheapest, while PCR is most sensitive but complex, offering insights into CMV infection diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Transplant Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant post-transplant complication.
- Accurate and timely diagnosis of active CMV infection is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comparatively evaluate diagnostic techniques for active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in blood.
- Assess methods including shell vial culture, serology (IgG/IgM), antigenemia (pp65), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Main Methods:
- Followed 50 kidney transplant recipients for 6 months post-transplant.
- Analyzed 750 blood samples using shell vial, anti-CMV IgG/IgM, pp65 antigenemia, conventional PCR, and nested PCR.
Main Results:
- Nested PCR detected the most positive samples (440), followed by conventional PCR (225), antigenemia (115), IgM (91), and shell vial (8).
- Antigenemia identified CMV infection rapidly.
- PCR variants showed earlier detection and higher sensitivity compared to other methods.
Conclusions:
- Antigenemia is the fastest, most cost-effective, and simplest CMV diagnostic method, providing quantitative results linked to symptomatic infections.
- Qualitative PCR is the earliest and most sensitive technique but is more complex and expensive, with sensitivity potentially limiting clinical utility.