Cytomegalovirus IgG Antibodies Research Articles

The impact of early cytomegalovirus infection after kidney transplantation on long‐term graft and patient survival

This prospective observational cohort study is an extension of a previous study reporting effects of cytomegalovirus (CMV) on graft and patient survival in 471 patients who underwent kidney transplantation between 1994 and 1997. CMV pp65 antigen was measured every 7-14d during the first threemonths after transplantation, given as number of CMV pp65-positive cells per 10(5) leukocytes. A positive test was defined as CMV infection. None of the patients received CMV prophylaxis or preemptive treatment. During a median of 13.7 (7.1-14.9) yr, the number of death-censored graft losses was 118 (25%) and of patient deaths 224 (48%). CMV infection was an independent significant risk factor for mortality in multivariate analysis (HR=1.453, 95% CI 1.033-2.045, p=0.032), adjusting for patient and donor age, preemptive transplantation, HLA-DR and -AB mismatches, living donor, acute rejection during the first threemonths, donor-recipient CMV IgG antibody status and diabetic nephropathy. In univariate analysis, CMV infection was significantly associated with death-censored graft loss but the association was not significant in multivariate model. CMV infection early after kidney transplantation is a predictor of overall mortality but not of death-censored graft loss after a median observation period of 13.7yr.

Index of Suspicion

Index of Suspicion

Effect of Cytomegalovirus and Diabetes Mellitus on the Cytokine Profile of Cellular Immunity in Tuberculosis Patients

Aims: This study aims to investigate the effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and diabetes mellitus (DM) on the cell-mediated immunity against TB represented by cytokine profile Study Design: Case control study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in Specialized Chest and Respiratory Center in Baghdad, Iraq and Department of Medical Microbiology-College of Medicine -Babylon university Hilla-Iraq, the period of study was October 2012 to January 2013. Methodology: This study was applied on 70 TB patients .It involved also 30 apparently healthy control. The patients consists of 43 males and 27 females with age range 8-76 years old, 29 of them were diabetic .Blood samples were collected from patients and controls to estimate the immune parameters interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin 2(IL-2 )as , and anti –CMV IgG antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The immune parameters showed that there is no significant difference in the mean serum concentration between the patients and control groups for IFN-γ and IL-2 (P=0.05), while there was a significant increase in the mean serum concentration of antiCMV IgG between study groups (P≤0.001). Original Research Article British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 4(3): 883-888, 2014 884 The study also showed that there is a significant decrease in the mean serum concentration of IL-2 and IFN-γ between diabetic TB patients comparing with those nondiabetic TB patients where p values were 0.008 and 0.024 respectively. Conclusion: Both CMV and diabetes mellitus have a role in the suppression of cellular immunity in TB patients.

Association between antibodies to multiple infectious and food antigens and new onset schizophrenia among US military personnel

IntroductionMultiple studies have documented immune activation in many individuals with schizophrenia suggesting that antigens capable of generating a prolonged immune response may be important environmental factors in many cases of this disorder. While existing studies have found single-agent associations of antibodies to food and neurotropic infectious agents with schizophrenia, a simultaneous examination of multiple agents may shed light on agent interactions or possible etiopathogenic pathways. MethodsWe used traditional regression and novel statistical techniques to examine associations of single and combined infectious and food antigens with schizophrenia. We tested 6106 serum samples from 855 cases and 1165 matched controls. ResultsHigher antibody levels to casein were borderline significant in the prediction of schizophrenia (HR=1.08, p=0.06). Study participants with higher cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG antibody levels had a reduced risk of developing schizophrenia (HR=0.90; p=0.02). While IgG antibodies to gliadin, Toxoplasma gondii, vaccinia, measles, and human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) showed no significant independent associations with schizophrenia, the increase in antibody levels to several combinations of agents, to include casein, measles, CMV, T. gondii and vaccinia, was predictive of an 18–34% increase in the risk of developing schizophrenia. ConclusionCertain patterns of antibodies, involving some agents, were predictive of developing schizophrenia, with the magnitude of association rising when the level of antibodies increased to two or more agents. A heightened antibody response to a combination of several infectious/food antigens might be an indicator of an altered immune response to antigenic stimuli.

Hepatitis C Viremia Is Associated with Cytomegalovirus IgG Antibody Levels in HIV-Infected Women

BackgroundIndividuals with HIV infection exhibit high cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG levels, but there are few data regarding the association of hepatitis C virus (HCV) with the immune response against CMV.MethodsAssociations of HCV with CMV seropositivity and CMV IgG levels were studied in 635 HIV-infected women, 187 of whom were HCV-seropositive, with adjustment in multivariable models for age, race/ethnicity, and HIV disease characteristics. Eighty one percent of the women reported receipt of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) prior to or at CMV testing.ResultsIn adjusted models women with chronic HCV had higher CMV IgG levels than those without HCV RNA (β = 2.86, 95% CI:0.89 – 4.83; P = 0.004). The association of HCV RNA with CMV IgG differed by age (P interaction = 0.0007), with a strong association observed among women in the low and middle age tertiles (≤45.3 years of age; β = 6.21, 95% CI:3.30 – 9.11, P<0.0001) but not among women in the high age tertile. CMV IgG levels were not associated with non-invasive measures of liver disease, APRI and FIB-4, or with HCV RNA level and adjustment for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) IgG levels did not affect the association between HCV and CMV.ConclusionsCMV IgG levels are higher in HCV/HIV co-infected women than in HIV mono-infected women. Further research on the association of HCV with CMV IgG is indicated because prior studies have found CMV IgG to be associated with morbidity and mortality in the general population and subclinical carotid artery disease in HIV-infected patients.

Childhood adversity and herpesvirus latency in breast cancer survivors.

Childhood adversity has been linked to greater emotional and physiological sensitivity to stress. Stress has well-documented effects on cellular immunity, including enhanced herpesvirus reactivation. This study assessed whether childhood adversity was associated with the expression of two latent herpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) in adults, and whether this association could be detected beyond the psychological distress women experienced in the aftermath of a breast cancer diagnosis and its treatment. One hundred and eight breast cancer survivors completed questionnaires and provided blood samples to assess EBV virus capsid antigen (VCA) IgG antibody titers and CMV IgG antibody titers. Breast cancer survivors who experienced more childhood adversities had higher EBV and CMV antibody titers than those with fewer childhood adversities. Those who experienced more childhood adversities also had more depressive symptoms, less education, and poorer sleep quality than those with fewer childhood adversities. Depressive symptoms, education, sleep quality, age, BMI, cancer stage, comorbidities, and weekly alcohol consumption were not related to EBV or CMV antibody titers. Time since last treatment was negatively associated with EBV and CMV antibody titers. Elevated antibody titers to latent herpesviruses represent poorer cellular immune system control over viral latency; these data suggest that those with more childhood adversities have poorer cellular immune function. These findings add to the emerging literature suggesting that adverse early experiences may make people more vulnerable to immune dysregulation in adulthood. The consequences of early adversity appear to persist across the life span.

Cytomegalovirus is associated with reduced telomerase activity in the Whitehall II cohort

Telomere length and telomerase activity have received increased attention as markers of cellular aging, but the determinants of inter-individual variation in these markers are incompletely understood. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may be particularly important for telomere and telomerase dynamics due to its dramatic impact on peripheral blood lymphocyte composition, i.e., increasing the number and proportions of highly differentiated T cells that are characterized by shorter telomere length (TL) and lowered telomerase activity (TA). However, the possible relationship between CMV infection and leukocyte TL and TA has not been well-examined in vivo. This study examined the associations of CMV seropositivity and CMV IgG antibodies with leukocyte (TL) and (TA) in a sample of 434 healthy individuals (ages 53–76) from the Whitehall II cohort. Positive CMV serostatus was significantly associated with lower TA among women, and higher CMV IgG antibody levels were associated with lower TA in the overall sample. However, neither CMV seropositivity nor CMV IgG antibody levels (reflecting subclinical reactivation) among the seropositive were significantly associated with TL. These associations were robust to adjustment for age, employment grade, BMI, and smoking status. The results demonstrate that CMV seropositivity and subclinical reactivation predict lower TA. Future longitudinal studies should test whether the association of CMV with lower TA contributes to accelerated telomere shortening over time.

Detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies or DNA sequences from ostensibly healthy Iranian mothers and their neonates

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains the most common cause of viral intrauterine infection. The objective of this research was to determine the prevalence of at-risk pregnancies for congenital cytomegalovirus transmission in a randomly selected pregnant women and their newborns. Enzyme Link Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were utilized to screen the sera of mothers (n = 100) and consecutive umbilical cord blood samples from their newborn (n = 100). Of the 100 mother's sera analyzed, 100 (100%) and 3 (3%) were positive for cytomegalovirus IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. Of the 100 cord serum specimens analyzed, 99 (99%) and 2 (2%) were positive for cytomegalovirus IgG and IgM antibodies, respectively. Cytomegalovirus DNA was detected in 4 out of 100 (4%) cord blood samples of newborns. From four CMV DNA positive cases, Case 1 had no IgM in cord serum, but had IgM in mother's sera. Cases 2 and 4 were positive for IgM in both mother's sera and cord serum. Case 3 had no detectable CMV IgM in sera and cord serum. As many as 66 and 100% of CMV IgM-positive women in this study also had CMV IgM and CMV DNA in their delivery cord blood samples, respectively suggesting an increased risk of congenital CMV infection in those pregnancies. A paired women sera/cord blood CMV IgM-negative was found to be positive for CMV DNA. The data may also suggest the utility of PCR in place of CMV IgM as a diagnostic method for congenital CMV infection. Key words: Cytomegalovirus, cord blood, congenital disease, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), antibodies

Prospective study of cytomegalovirus serostatus and prostate cancer risk in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial

To investigate serologic evidence of infection by cytomegalovirus (CMV), a herpesvirus with known oncogenic potential that has been detected in malignant prostate tissue, in relation to prostate cancer (PCa) risk in a large case-control study nested in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT). Cases were men with a confirmed diagnosis of PCa after visit 2 (n=614), and controls were men not diagnosed with PCa during the trial who also had a negative end-of-study biopsy (n=616). Controls were frequency-matched to cases by age, treatment arm, and family history of PCa. Sera from visit 2 were tested for CMV IgG antibodies. No association was observed between CMV serostatus and PCa risk (adjusted CMV seroprevalence=67.9% for cases and 65.2% for controls, odds ratio=1.13, 95% CI 0.89-1.45). Considering our null findings in the context of the full CMV literature, CMV infection, as measured by serostatus, does not appear to increase PCa risk.

Cytomegalovirus antibody status at 17–18 weeks of gestation and pre‐eclampsia: a case–control study of pregnant women in Norway

To assess the association between maternal cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibodies in mid-pregnancy and pre-eclampsia. Nested case-control study. Pregnancies registered in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa): a large population-based pregnancy cohort (1999-2006). A cohort of 1500 women with pre-eclampsia and 1000 healthy pregnant women. Plasma samples and pregnancy-related information were provided by the MoBa. Antibody status (CMV IgG and CMV IgM) and levels (CMV IgG) at 17-18 weeks of gestation were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A diagnosis of pre-eclampsia, as defined in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. There was no evidence of an effect of CMV IgG seropositivity on the likelihood of developing pre-eclampsia, and CMV IgG antibody levels among women who were seropositive did not differ between groups. Adjusted for maternal age, parity and smoking, the odds ratio for pre-eclampsia in women seropositive for CMV IgG was 0.89 (95% CI 0.74-1.05; P = 0.17). The proportions of women who were seropositive for IgM did not differ between women with pre-eclampsia and women who were healthy (P = 0.98). Among nulliparous women, the proportion of women who were seropositive for CMV IgG was slightly lower among women with pre-eclampsia (53.5%) than among healthy women (59.8%) (P = 0.03). Subgroup analyses were performed for women with early or late onset pre-eclampsia, with preterm delivery and/or with neonates that were small for gestational age, but antibody status did not differ between pre-eclampsia subtypes and controls. The presence of maternal antibodies to CMV was not associated with pre-eclampsia in our study. The results suggest that CMV infection is unlikely to be a major cause of pre-eclampsia.

Relationship of cytomegalovirus, Chlamydia pneumoniae and herpes simplex virus type 2 infections with preeclampsia

To explore the potential relationship of cytomegalovirus (CMV), Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) in inflammation and preeclampsia. Fifty-two pregnant women with preeclampsia and 34 with uncomplicated pregnancy in the third trimester were recruited. The exclusions included uterine contractions, multiple pregnancies, rupture of membranes, symptomatic infectious diseases, medical diseases and antibiotics or hormones users. Samples of maternal blood were harvested from two groups. Serum levels of CMV, CP, and HSV-2 IgM and IgG antibodies as well as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in preeclampsia and normal pregnancy controls. (1) Recent infections of CMV, CP and HSV-2 were not more common in patients with preeclampsia versus normal pregnancy. The prevalence rates of long-dated CMV, CP and HSV-2 infection were 94.2% (49/52), 53.9% (28/52) and 3.9% (2/52) in preeclampsia group versus 100.0% (34/34), 55.9% (19/34) and 5.9% (2/34) in control group. No significant difference existed between two groups (P > 0.05). (2) Maternal serum concentrations of IL-6 and hs-CRP in patients with preeclampsia were significantly higher than that in normal pregnancy women ((7.2 ± 2.1) ng/L and (6.8 ± 5.6) mg/L vs (6.2 ± 1.8) ng/L and (4.6 ± 3.0) mg/L, both P < 0.05). Excessive inflammatory reactions are present in women with preeclampsia. But previous infections, as measured by IgM and IgG antibody seropositivity to CMV, CP and HSV-2, are not correlated with preeclampsia in the third trimester.

Seroprevalence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Amongst Voluntary Blood Donors in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Edo State, Nigeria

Aim: To investigate the seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) among voluntary blood donors in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Nigeria with the purpose of determining whether routine CMV screening for donors is justified or not. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Haematology and Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin city, Nigeria, between May and September, 2010. Methodology: Sera from randomly selected one hundred and ninety-two (192) voluntary blood donors, consisting of 176 males and 16 females that visited the hospital from May to September 2010 were evaluated for CMV-IgG and IgM antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) based kit. Results: Seroprevalence for CMV-IgG and IgM were 95.8% and 3.1% respectively. All female donors (n=16) were positive for IgG. A total of 114 out of 192 (59.4%) donors were within the age bracket of 30-39 years. A prevalence of 100% for CMV IgG antibody was observed in age group ≥50 years, Conclusion: Routine screening of donors for CMV-IgG antibody would amount to waste of resources given the high prevalence of 95.8%. Periodic screening to identify the small percentage of seronegative blood donors (4.2%) who are needed for the ever increasing number of immunosuppressed recipients is recommended. Case Study British Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 2(1): 15-20, 2012 16

National Prevalence Estimates for Cytomegalovirus IgM and IgG Avidity and Association between High IgM Antibody Titer and Low IgG Avidity

Primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the mother during pregnancy presents risk of CMV infection of the fetus with resulting permanent disability. CMV IgM antibody is generated following primary CMV infection but also can appear during nonprimary CMV infection and is thus of limited diagnostic use by itself. In contrast, the presence of low CMV IgG avidity has been shown to be a unique and reliable serologic indicator of primary CMV infection. We measured CMV IgG and IgM antibody levels and IgG avidity in sera from a population sample of 6,067 U.S. women aged 12 to 49 years from NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). The CMV IgG prevalence was 58% overall and increased strongly with age. The CMV IgM prevalence was 3.0% overall and remained relatively flat across age groups. The prevalence of low IgG avidity was 2.0% overall, decreased sharply with age, and was seen mainly among IgM-positive sera. Fourteen to 18% of the CMV IgM-positive sera were low IgG avidity, presumably representing primary CMV infection. High CMV IgM antibody titer was a strong predictor of low IgG avidity. The ability to reliably identify primary CMV infection during pregnancy is important for management of the pregnancy, including possible treatment options for the fetus. Both IgM and IgG avidity measurements provide useful clinical information for evaluating primary CMV infection, although commercial tests for CMV IgG avidity are not yet widely available in the United States.

Sero-Prevalence of Cytomegalo Virus Antibodies in Pregnant Women Attending Two Selected Hospitals in Sokoto State, North-Western Nigeria

Infection with cytomegalo virus (CMV), especially in pregnancy may cause pregnancy complications such as congenital infection, non-hereditary deafness, intrauterine growth restriction and other high defects. This study was to evaluate the prevalence of CMV in pregnant women attending Antenatal Clinics at Maryam Abacha Women and Children Hospital (MAWCH) and Sokoto Specialist Hospital (SSH). The study enrolled 90 pregnant women (age range: 16-45 years old) and data on demographic and life styles obtained using structured questionnaire. Serum samples were assayed using CMV Ig-G EIA kit. Out of the 90 pregnant women examined, 88(97.8%) had IgG protective antibodies to CMV while 2(2.2%) did not have protective antibodies. The prevalence rate of 2.20% was obtained in pregnant women that did not have the protective CMV IgG antibodies and were in the age range of 16-30 years old. They were also found to be in their second trimester, which could have increased the risk of intrauterine transmission. The risk factors for CMV were observed to have been significantly (P > 0.05) correlated with the socioeconomic status, the levels of CMV Ig-G antibodies, stage of pregnancy as well as the symptoms of pregnancy complications observed in the study population while they were insignificant (P Keywords: Cytomegalo virus, Pregnant women, sero-prevalence, Sokoto.

Relationship between cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG serology, detectable CMV DNA in peripheral monocytes, and CMV pp65495–503-specific CD8+ T cells in older adults

In immunocompetent individuals, cytomegalovirus (CMV) is thought to persist in a latent state in monocytes and myeloid progenitor cells, establishing a lifelong infection. In CMV-seropositive older adults, aging has been associated with both expansion of CMV pp65(495-503)-specific CD8(+) T cell clones and shrinkage of the T cell repertoire that characterize T cell immunosenescence. In fact it has been suggested that chronic CMV infection is a driving force in age-related T cell immunosenescence. In older adults, chronic CMV infection is conventionally diagnosed by positive IgG serology which does not distinguish between past and persistent infections. To better define the relationship between chronic CMV infection and expansion of CMV pp65(495-503)-specific CD8(+) T cells, we directly assessed CMV viral DNA in monocyte-enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells in 16 HLA-A2-positive elderly volunteers (mean age = 83 years). While all participants had positive CMV IgG serology by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, only nine (56%) had detectable CMV DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction. These nine individuals had significantly higher percentages of CMV pp65(495-503) tetramer-positive CD8(+) T cells (median = 1.3%) than those without detectable CMV DNA (median = 0.1%; p < 0.001). Absolute CMV IgG antibody titers did not differ between these two groups (median = 54.6 vs 44.2 EU/ml, respectively, p = 0.4). CMV IgM titers were negative for all 16 participants, suggesting that recent primary CMV infection was unlikely. These results demonstrate a strong association between the presence of CMV DNA in peripheral monocytes and the expansion of CD8(+) T cells specific for the CMV immunodominant epitope pp65(495-503). Although the sample size in this study is relatively small, these findings provide initial evidence suggesting the heterogeneity of CMV IgG-seropositive older adult population and CMV viral DNA detection in peripheral monocytes as an informative tool to better understand the relationship between chronic CMV infection and T cell immunosenescence.

Acute cytomegalovirus pneumonia and hepatitis presenting during acute HIV retroviral syndrome

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is a frequent opportunistic infection that usually occurs in the late stages of HIV infection as a result of reactivation of a latent infection. We report a case of a 23-year-old man with acute retroviral syndrome complicated by coexisting CMV pneumonia and CMV hepatitis, which were documented by histopathological examination. His CMV pneumonia and hepatitis were assumed to be primary CMV diseases owing to the absence of CMV IgG antibody. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of simultaneous CMV pneumonia and hepatitis occurring as primary CMV diseases during primary HIV infection. This case indicates that invasive CMV diseases such as pneumonia and hepatitis should be considered even in patients with primary HIV infection.

An association between cytomegalovirus infection and pre‐eclampsia: a case–control study and data synthesis

Pre-eclampsia shares several similarities with atherosclerotic heart disease. We explored whether, like atherosclerosis, there is a potential link between cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and pre-eclampsia. CMV IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in serums from pre-eclampsia (n = 78), normotensive intrauterine growth restriction (nIUGR) (n = 30) and normal pregnancy controls (n = 109). Data were analyzed by chi-squared, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U-tests. Further, we conducted a comprehensive review of published studies on the relation between CMV infection and pre-eclampsia. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI), according to CMV infection status, were calculated using Review Manager. Women with pre-eclampsia had increased CMV IgG seropositivity compared with nIUGR (p < 0.01) and normal pregnancy controls (p < 0.01). In addition, CMV IgG antibody level was higher in pre-eclampsia than normal pregnancy controls (p < 0.001). No difference was observed in CMV IgM or IgA among study groups. Data synthesis revealed that women with CMV infection were at higher risk in the development of pre-eclampsia, compared with women without CMV infection. Combined results for six studies yielded a RR of 1.5 (95% CI 1.2-1.9). CMV infection seems to affect the occurrence of pre-eclampsia. Evaluation of the relation between CMV infection and pre-eclampsia may provide mechanistic insights into pre-eclampsia-related inflammation.

Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus antibodies in blood donors in southern, Brazil

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a matter of concern for blood bank professionals and blood transfusion recipients, especially in cases of transfusions to neonates and immunocompromised patients. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of CMV IgG and IgM antibodies among blood donors in the city of Lages, in the mountain region of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, and to investigate possible associations between the socioeconomic characteristics of donors and CMV serological status. A seroepidemiological cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,045 blood samples from donors that were used in serological screening over a one-year investigation. All the analyses were conducted using the microparticle enzyme immunoassay with Biokit(R) reagents (Barcelona, Spain), in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Anti-CMV IgG seroprevalence in the sample studied was 96.4% (95% CI: 95.23 - 97.50) and that of anti-CMV IgM was 2.3% (95% CI: 1.39 - 3.20). There were no statistically significant associations between the presence of antibodies and the socioeconomic characteristics of donors. The blood donors in the study region had high seroprevalence of anti-CMV IgG. Thus, blood component screening strategies and careful indication for blood transfusions require special attention among healthcare professionals as part of the actions for prevention and reduction of primary infections caused by CMV.

Seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus among some voluntary blood donors at the 37 military Hospital, Accra, Ghana

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most significant pathogens infecting immunosuppressed individuals. CMV is transmissible through transfusion of blood components. The goal of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies to CMV among blood donors seen at the 37 Military Hospital Blood Transfusion Unit, (MHBTU) Accra, Ghana. The seroprevalence of antibodies specific for CMV was tested using CMV IgG/IgM particle agglutination test kit and ELISA. Of the 264 blood donors, 18 were negative and 246 were positive for CMV IgG antibodies, giving an overall CMV prevalence rate of 93.2%. None of the 264 blood donors was positive for CMV IgM antibodies. About 96% of the donors aged between 30 to 39 years were seropositive for CMV, as against 91.9% in those aged 20-29 years, 88.6% in 40 to 49 years, 75.0% (3 out of 4) in 50 to 59 years, and 100% (1 out 1) in 60-69 years. There was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in the CMV IgG status in different age groups. The blood donors comprised largely of male donors (236 out of 264), making sex comparisons statistically undesirable. However, all the female (n=28) donors were positive for CMV IgG. Since about 93% of blood donors at the MHBTU are seropositive for CMV, it would be very useful to screen blood donors in Ghana for CMV to identify the very few CMV-seronegative blood donors, and maintain an inventory of them for use as donors.

Maternofoetal transfer of Cytomegalovirus IgG antibodies in Maiduguri, North Eastern Nigeria

A serological study to determine the transfer of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) IgG antibody between 94 mothers and their newborns attending the State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri was carried out using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. The ELISA technique used was a commercial kit BIOTEC which detects IgG specific to CMV.Of the 94 mothers tested, 93 (98.9%) have CMV IgG antibody while their corresponding newborns had 86.2% (81 out of 93) seroprevalence rate. The percentage prevalence according to sex of the newborns was 86.3% (44 out of 93) and 69.8% (37 out of 93) males and females respectively. About 87.1% of the newborns were immune to CMV infection compared with 12.9% susceptible.There was a positive correlation between maternal CMV IgG antibody with maternal age (r = 0.57), gestational age (r = 0.03) and the number of pregnancies (r = 0.03).Most (87.1%) mothers in the study are immune to CMV infection and were able to pass adequate protection (CMV IgG) to their newborns leaving a small (12.9%) proportion of susceptible newborns to CMV.