DETECTION OF NEUTRALIZING ANTIBODIES AGAINST HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS - INFLUENCE OF STRAIN VARIATION

The influence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strain variation on neut ralizing antibody titers was investigated in sequential sera obtained from 12 organ transplant recipients (11 renal transplant recipients, 1 liver transplant patient) suffering from primary or secondary HCMV in fection. Cross-neutralization assays using either the international HC MV reference strain AD169 or individual clinical isolates from patient s showed congruent results. Restriction enzyme analysis of the hyperva riable alpha-sequence of the L-S junction of AD169 and HCMV isolates a mplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were carried out to confir m the expected strain differences. At least 6 groups of clinical strai ns were differentiated. The results of this study demonstrated that de spite the strain heterogenicity of HCMV, the neutralization assay usin g AD169 permitted a reliable and quantitative serologic detection of n eutralizing antibodies against HCMV.