CYTOMEGALOVIRUS-INFECTION IN NEWBORNS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS - POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION ANALYSIS OF ISOLATES

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis with primers for the pp65, a- sequence, glycoprotein B, and major immediate early genes of human cyt omegalovirus (CMV) was used to study five congenitally-infected infant s and their CMV-infected family members. Family members excreting CMV included three mothers and tno siblings. The PCR results indicated tha t the CMV strain excreted by each infant was indistinguishable from th at excreted by the corresponding family member. By contrast, the molec ular profiles of the CMV strains were distinct between families, indic ating that the PCR algorithm described in this study is a useful metho d for analyzing CMV strains.