[Rapid detection of human cytomegalovirus DNA in urine samples by polymerase chain reaction in vitro gene amplification]

Abstract

In the detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in the urine by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We have designed and synthesized two pairs of oligonucleotide primers (patent pending) corresponding to the specific and conserved DNA sequences of HCMV AD 169 strain. The sequences of the primers were checked that they did not have cross reaction with either normal human genomic DNA or with other herpesviruses. As less as 1fg of HCMV DNA (equal to the amount of DNA from four HCMV virions) in urine can be detected by the method A total of 47 urine specimens from infants suspected of HCMV infection was examined by PCR and conventional virus isolation simultaneously 31 samples were positive in both PCR and virus isolation; 12 samples were negative in either; 4 samples were positive in PCR but negative in virus isolation. So the samples were further examined by serology and the data showed that there was HCMV-specific IgM in all the virus isolation negative sera examined. The result suggests that HCMV in the above samples is possibly underdetected by virus isolation. Therefore the method described in the paper is a specific, sensitive, rapid conventional and non radioisotopic one for detection of HCMV in urine samples.