IgM antibody detection of ppUL80a and ppUL32 by immunoblotting: An early parameter for recurrent cytomegalovirus infection in renal transplant recipients

• Published in: Journal of medical virology Vol. 48; no. 3; pp. 289 - 294
• Main Authors: Kraat, Y.J., Stals, F.S., Christiaans, M.H., Lazzarotto, T., Landini, M.P., Bruggeman, C.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-03-1996; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Antibodies, Viral - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Cells, Cultured; cytomegalovirus; Cytomegalovirus - immunology; Cytomegalovirus - isolation & purification; Cytomegalovirus Infections - diagnosis; Cytomegalovirus Infections - immunology; Endopeptidases - immunology; Human viral diseases; Humans; IgM; Immunoblotting; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Immunosuppression; Infectious diseases; Kidney Transplantation; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Phosphoproteins; Postoperative Complications - diagnosis; Postoperative Complications - immunology; Postoperative Complications - virology; Prospective Studies; Recurrence; shell vial assay; Time Factors; transplant recipients; Viral diseases; Viral Matrix Proteins - immunology; Viral Proteins - immunology; Performance evaluation; Human; Antibody; Herpesviridae; Recipient; Recurrent; Betaherpesvirinae; IgM; Allogeneic system; Human cytomegalovirus; Infection; Virus; Viral disease; Immunoblotting assay; Graft; Diagnosis; Detection
• ISSN: 0146-6615; 1096-9071
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9071(199603)48:3<289::AID-JMV13>3.0.CO;2-8

The value of IgM detection for the early diagnosis of an active cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in renal transplant recipients was evaluated prospectively. Sequential serum samples obtained from 22 allograft recipients with active CMV infection were tested for the presence of CMV‐specific immunoglobulin M antibodies (IgM) by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) and were compared with the Western‐immunoblotting technique (IB). The time course of CMV IgM antibody detection was evaluated in relation to the shell vial assay (SVA), CMV disease, and immunosuppressive regimen.
By IB, IgM antibodies against the capsid protein ppUL80a and the basic matrix phosphoprotein ppUL32 were detected in all 22 recipients with active CMV infection. Using the MEIA and the ELISA, the presence of CMV IgM antibodies was detected in 17 (77%) and ten (46%) of these 22 recipients, respectively.
The SVA was the earliest parameter for detection of primary CMV infection in seven of nine (78%) recipients, in contrast to two of 13 (15%) patients with recurrent CMV infection (P < .05). The detection of IgM antibodies by IB was the earliest parameter for detection of recurrent CMV infection in seven out of 13 (54%) recipients in contrast to one out of nine (11%) patients with primary CMV infection (P < .05). During a primary CMV infection, the development of an abundant IgM antibody response was associated with recovery from CMV disease and the end of the viremic phase. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.