Real-time PCR and pp65-antigen test for monitoring human cytomegalovirus infection in kidney transplant patients

Background: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a common virus that infects people of all ages. HCMV infection is an important and common complication in immunocompromised patients, especially transplant recipients. Antigenemia test and real-time PCR are one of the most common assays for diagnosis and monitoring of CMV infections. The aims of this study were to compare two common detection methods in order to identify clinically useful CMV infection in kidney transplant patients. Material and methods : One hundred and fifty peripheral blood samples from kidney transplant patients, including 78 men and 72 women aged from 4 to 73 years; with mean age of 36 years, collected during March 2016 to June 2016. Then samples were investigated for pp65-antigen on polymorphonuclear cells and HCMV DNA viral load on plasma and whole blood. Results: Out of 150 samples analyzed, HCMV DNA was detected in 47(31.33%) cases; with 26 (55.32%) and 21(44.68%) cases in men and women, respectively. The pp65 antigen was detected in 42(28%) casas; with 23 (54.76%) and 19 (45.24%) cases in men and women, respectively. Of the 150 samples, 42 (28%) were positive for both assays and 108 (72%)were negative. Conclusion: Our findings showed both tests were significantly correlated and can be useful for monitoring of CMV infection. Hence, higher viral loads have been found to be associated with increase of disease complication, Real- time PCR is more suitable. The findings merit more investigations involving larger numbers of samples