Correlation between detection of CMV DNA in serum by PCR and onset of clinical symptoms.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Correlation between detection of CMV DNA in serum by PCR and onset of clinical symptoms.

Int Conf AIDS. 1994 Aug 7-12;10(2):129 (abstract no. PB0528). Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE ICA10/94371121
Hansen KK; Richsten A; Hofmann B; Dept of infectious diseases, Hvidovre University Hospital,; Copenhagen, Denmark.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between a presumed clinical diagnosis of cytomegalovirus chorioretinitis and the detection of CMV DNA in serum samples from individuals with AIDS. METHODS: In this study the PCR technique was used to detect CMV DNA in serum from patients with AIDS. Five consecutive serum samples from a total of 52 HIV seropositive male subjects attending an AIDS clinic from january 1991 to december 1992 were investigated. Nine-teen of these individuals had a clinical diagnosis of CMV chorioretinitis (obtained by ophthalmoscopy). Sixteen HIV negative blood donors were also examined. RESULTS: Eleven of the patients with a clinical diagnosis of chorioretinitis were positive for CMV DNA in serum samples taken 3 to 6 months before the clinical diagnosis. Three retinitis patients who initially were negative for CMV DNA became positive after the onset of clinical symptoms. Detection of CMV DNA in serum was, therefore, found to precede clinical symptoms. In contrast 29 of 33 HIV seropositive patients without clinical CMV retinitis were negative for CMV DNA in all five serum samples. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the presence of CMV DNA in serum is a useful and sensitive predictive marker of CMV retinitis. Therefore, failure to detect CMV DNA in five consecutive serum samples from five patients with a clinical presumed diagnosis of CMV chorioretinitis should raise questions about the correctness of adiagnosis of CMV chorioretinitis based only on ophthalmoscopy.

Keywords: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/COMPLICATIONS/*DIAGNOSIS/ MICROBIOLOGY Biological Markers/BLOOD Chorioretinitis/COMPLICATIONS/*DIAGNOSIS/MICROBIOLOGY Cytomegalovirus/GENETICS/*ISOLATION & PURIF Cytomegalovirus Retinitis/COMPLICATIONS/*DIAGNOSIS/MICROBIOLOGY DNA, Viral/*BLOOD/GENETICS Human Male Ophthalmoscopy Polymerase Chain Reaction/STATISTICS & NUMER DATA Sensitivity and Specificity Time Factors ABSTRACT
941230
M94C2264

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