Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients and immunocompromised patients. We compared the results of a dual polymerase chain reaction (dual-PCR) and an antigenemia (Ag) test for detection of CMV from blood samples.

Methods: Between February 2002 and May 2005, we analyzed 175 blood samples submitted for CMV tests at Hanyang University Hospital. The late antigen (LA) and major immediate early (MIE) genes of CMV were concurrently amplified in the dual-PCR. The lower matrix protein pp65 of CMVwas detected for the Ag test (Chemicon, Temecula, CA, USA).

Results: The positive rate of the dual-PCR was 14.3% (25/175) and that of the Ag test was 13.1% (23/175). The concordance rate of the dual-PCR and Ag test was 85.1% (149/175), while the discordance rate was 14.9% (26/175).

Conclusion: The dual-PCR is a useful method for the early detection of CMV, but we recommendusing both the dual-PCR and Ag test for detection of CMV due to a high discordance rate of the two methods.(Korean J Clin Microbiol 2006;9(2):96-101)