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[Evaluation of IgM anti human cytomegalovirus antibody]
H Aochi1, K Nagamine, S Hayashi
1Department of Blood Transfusion, Osaka University Hospital.
Rinsho Byori. the Japanese Journal of Clinical Pathology
|July 1, 1990
Insights
Screening for IgM anti-human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) antibodies in blood donors is unlikely to prevent post-transfusion HCMV infections, as few positive cases were detected in this study.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Context:
- Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a common pathogen with significant implications in immunocompromised individuals and neonates.
- Post-transfusion cytomegalovirus infections remain a concern, particularly in vulnerable patient populations.
- Accurate serological methods are crucial for diagnosing HCMV infections and managing transfusion risks.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the utility of detecting anti-HCMV antibodies, specifically IgM, for preventing post-transfusion HCMV infections.
- To compare the efficacy of ELISA with the complement fixation (CF) test for HCMV antibody detection.
- To assess the prevalence of specific anti-HCMV IgM in a mixed population of patients and normal subjects.
Summary:
- An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect anti-HCMV antibodies in 330 serum samples.
- The ELISA results demonstrated a high agreement (99.1%) with the complement fixation (CF) test.
- Screening for specific anti-HCMV IgM antibodies revealed a low positivity rate (4 out of 330 sera), suggesting limited effectiveness in preventing transfusion-associated HCMV transmission.
Impact:
- The findings suggest that routine screening for IgM anti-HCMV in blood donors may not be an effective strategy to prevent post-transfusion HCMV infections.
- This research informs transfusion medicine guidelines and highlights the need for alternative or complementary strategies to mitigate HCMV transmission risks.
- The study underscores the importance of understanding the seroprevalence of specific viral antibodies in the context of transfusion safety.
Abstract:
An anti-human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) antibody in 330 sera from patients and normal subjects was examined by ELISA. The test results were compared with the results of CF test and there was 99.1% agreement. Specific anti-HCMV IgM antibody was searched for and only 4 sera were positive. This makes it unlikely that screening for IgM anti-HCMV will effectively prevent posttransfusion HCMV infections.