Persistence of cytomegalovirus in mononuclear cells in peripheral blood from blood donors.

Human cytomegalovirus infection is common in the general population but generally remains silent; the risk of disease is greatest in fetuses and the newborn and in immunocompromised subjects. In addition to transmission of the virus by close physical contact iatrogenic infection occurs through blood transfusion and transplantation of organs.' Carriers of cytomegalovirus are normally identified from their antibody state, although the presence of virus can be detected by culture, assay for early antigens, or nucleic acid hybridisation. Most ofthese tests, however, are limited by their sensitivity or duration. The recent development of the polymerase chain reaction permits rapid and sensitive detection of viral genomes through specific amplification ofDNA or RNA sequences.2 We used the reaction to determine the incidence of cytomegalovirus DNA in mononuclear cells from blood donors.