Comparison of two commercially available pp65 antigenemia tests and COBAS amplicor CMV monitor for early detection and quantification of episodes of human CMV-viremia in transplant recipients

The performance of two commercially available CMV pp65 antigenemia (AG) assays (CINA kit, Argene Biosoft, CK, and CMV Brite kit, IQ Products, CBK), and a quantitative PCR test (COBAS Amplicor CMV MonitorTest, Roche Diagnostics, CACM) was evaluated with 667 blood samples from 215 transplant recipients. The diagnostic value of the three tests was defined by their ability to detect episodes of systemic CIVIV activity. A test score was defined, assigning 7 virtual units (VU) for any episode detected first, 5 VU for any episode detected second, and three VU for any episode detected last. Within the evaluated collective, the following overall scores could be determined for the three assays: 45 VU for the CK, 39 for CACM and 31 for the CBK assay. We conclude from our results that (1) the CK is superior to the CBK assay in detecting episodes of CIVIV antigenemia, and (2) quantitative serum CIVIV PCR with CACM is not generally superior to pp65 antigenemia testing. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.