Detection of cytomegalovirus mRNA and DNA encoding the immediate early gene in peripheral blood leukocytes from immunocompromised patients.

Detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in peripheral blood leukocytes has been shown to be a sensitive marker of CMV infection. However, the specificity with regard to its clinical significance is less clear, since infections considered to be latent may be detected. In this report, the presence of CMV immediate early antigen (IEA) DNA and mRNA in peripheral blood leukocytes detected by PCR was investigated and related to the appearance of CMV pp65 antigen, CMV serology, and clinical status. Thirty-seven consecutive samples were submitted to the laboratory from 36 immunocompromised patients, on a routine basis for analysis because of a potential risk of CMV infection. To facilitate differentiation between DNA and mRNA, primers were chosen in exons 2 and 3 of the immediate early gene of CMV