Antibodies against human CMV-induced "early" antigens detected by immunoblotting are not exclusively associated with active infection

Abstract

We investigated the correlation between the prevalence of antibodies against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) "early" proteins and the state of infection. Two hundred and twenty-eight HCMV-IgG-positive (HCMV late-antigen ELISA) sera, drawn from subjects with active and non-active HCMV infections, were tested for specific IgG antibodies against HCMV "early" antigens by a Western blotting micromethod. Applying virus strain AD-169, we found antibodies to HCMV "early" antigens in 59% of all cases, irrespective of origin. Subjects with an elevated risk of cytomegalic inclusion disease (renal transplantation patients, AIDS patients) revealed significantly broader immune reactions when compared with healthy HCMV-antibody carriers. However, in follow-up studies we detected one patient who lacked an immune response to HCMV "early" antigens during active infection and subsequent convalescence. Our results indicate that active HCMV infection is not necessarily associated with the formation of antibodies against "early" antigens. Moreover, these antibodies may persist during non-active infection.