Prospective Study for CMV Detection in Cancer Patients: Comparison between PCR, Antigenemia, and Serological Assays

Background. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a persistent pathogen, can cause life threatening infection in immunocompromised patients. Therefore, sensitive and reliable diagnostic test is essential for choice line of antiviral therapy and patients' management. Methods. HCMV detection was investigated by serological assay, PCR assay in both WBC's and plasma samples, antigenemia assay in PMBLs in 32 leukemia patients, 20 bladder cancer patients and 20 apparently healthy controls. Results. HCMV IgG was detected in 100\% of our cancer patients. High HCMV IgG Ab titer was found to be less frequent in leukemia patients than solid tumor patients. In other words, low HCMV Ab titer was most common in leukemia patients. Antigenemia assay was positive in 8/32 (25\%) of leukemia patients but viremia was positive in only 2/32 (6\%) of leukemia patients. High level of antigenemia was associated with development of severe HCMV disease in leukemia patients. Conclusion. Antigenemia test is a reliable diagnostic tool in diagnosing active HCMV infection and progression. Therefore it can be helpful in guiding therapy in leukemia patients. {[}Waleed S. Mohamed, Samah A. Loutfy, Reham A. Rashed, Nevine M. ElAzhary and Marwa M. Amer Prospective Study for CMV Detection in Cancer Patients: Comparison between PCR, Antigenemia, and Serological Assays. Life Sci J 2012; 9(4):4536-4541]. (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 680