Results of a quality assurance program for detection of cytomegalovirus infection in the pediatric pulmonary and cardiovascular complications of vertically transmitted human immunodeficiency virus infection study

A quality assurance program was established by the Pediatric Pulmonary and Cardiovascular Complications of Vertically Transmitted Human Immunodeficien cy Virus Type 1 Infection Study Group for monitoring cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibody and culture results obtained from nine different participating lab oratories. Over a 3-year period, every 6 months, each laboratory was sent b y the designated reference laboratory six coded samples: three urine sample s for CMV detection and three serum samples for CMV immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibody determination. Overall, the participating laboratories exh ibited the following composite performance statistics, relative to the refe rence laboratory (sensitivity and specificity, respectively): 100 and 97.4% for CMV cultures, 95.5 and 94.4% for CMV IgG antibody assays, and 92.6 and 90.2% for CMV IgM assays. The practice of having individual laboratories u se different commercial methods and reagents for CMV detection and antibody determination was successfully monitored and provided useful information o n the comparable performance of different assays.