RAPID DETECTION OF HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS VIREMIA FROM SMALL VOLUMES OF HEPARINIZED WHOLE-BLOOD

Rapid detection of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) from blood was perform ed in parallel using inoculation into human fibroblastic cells of both 500 mul of whole blood and of buffy coat derived from 9.5 ml of blood . Of the 46 samples tested, 20 were positive for HCMV, 18 when the buf fy coat was inoculated (90 %) and 17 (85 %) when whole blood was used. Fifteen samples were positive by both techniques. Four samples gave d iscordant results: in three cases, viraemia was detected only by buffy coat assay and in one case only by whole blood assay. These results s uggest that HCMV isolation from blood should be performed by inoculati ng whole blood into cell cultures if only small blood volumes can be c ollected.