Abstract
Three commercial methods (enzyme immunoassay, fluoroimmunoassay and latex agglutination) and a complement fixation test were compared for detection of cytomegalovirus antibodies using a panel of 490 serum samples from blood and organ donors, from immunocompromised patients and paired sera from five patients with recent cytomegalovirus infection. An indirect immunofluorescence test for antibodies to cytomegalovirus was used for classifying samples giving discrepant results by any of the four methods. All methods showed high sensitivity and specificity, but the enzyme immunoassay and the latex agglutination tests had the highest sensitivity. Latex agglutination is recommended for large-scale screening of cytomegalovirus antibodies in blood and organ donors. Negative results obtained by latex agglutination should be confirmed by sensitive enzyme immunoassays.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jordan, M. C.: Latent infection and the elusive cytomegalovirus. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 1983, 5: 205–215.
Adler, S. P.: Transfusion associated cytomegalovirus infections. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 1983, 5: 977–993.
Onorato, I. M., Morens, D. M., Martone, W. I., Stansfield, S. K.: Epidemiology of cytomegaloviral infections: recommendation for prevention and control. Reviews of Infectious Diseases 1985, 7: 479–497.
Grist, N. R., Bell, E. J., Follett, E. A. C., Urquhart, G. E. D.: Diagnostic methods in clinical virology. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, 1979, p. 95–115.
Kettering, J. D., Schmidt, N. J., Lennette, E. H.: Improved glycine extracted complement fixing antigen for human cytomegalovirus. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1977, 6: 647–649.
Griner, P. F., Mayewski, R., Mushlin, A., Greenland, P.: Selection and interpretation of diagnostic test and procedures. Annals of Internal Medicine 1981, 94: 553–600.
Beckwith, D. G., Halstead, D. C., Alpaugh, K., Schweder, A., Blount-Fronefield, D. A., Toth, K.: Comparison of a latex agglutination test with five other methods for determining the presence of antibody against cytomegalovirus. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1985, 21: 328–331.
Adler, S. P., McVoy, M., Biro, V. G., Britt, W. J., Hider, P., Marshall, D.: Detection of cytomegalovirus antibody with latex agglutination. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1985, 22: 68–70.
McHugh, T., Casavant, C. H., Wilber, J. C., Stiles, D. P.: Comparison of six methods for detection of antibody to cytomegalovirus. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 1985, 22: 1014–1019.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
de Ory, F., León, P., Domingo, C. et al. Comparison of four methods for screening of cytomegalovirus antibodies in normal donors and immunocompromised patients. Eur. J, Clin. Microbiol. 6, 402–405 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02013094
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02013094