Cytomegalovirus antigenic heterogeneity can cause false-negative results in indirect hemagglutination and complement fixation antibody assays. 1985

R G Faix

Cord sera and antepartum maternal sera from three congenitally cytomegalovirus (CMV)-infected infants and their mothers were CMV seronegative (titer, less than 8) in a complement fixation (CF) assay with a glycine-extracted CMV AD169 antigen; sera from two of the infants and mothers were also seronegative in a commercial indirect hemagglutination (IHA) assay with AD169 antigen. In tests with their own CMV isolates propagated and made into glycine-extracted CF antigen, all were seropositive. When 108 random cord sera were assayed for CF antibody with AD169, Davis, and A antigens (A is a locally derived antigen from one of the above infants), 44 were seropositive and 54 were seronegative for all three antigens. Of the remaining 10 sera, 4 were positive for A only, 3 were positive for A and Davis only, 2 were positive for Davis and AD169 only, and 1 was positive for AD169 only. All 10 were positive when a mixture of all three antigens was used. The IHA assay with AD169 antigen was positive with only 4 of these 10 sera. These results suggest that up to 6% of sera may be misclassified as seronegative in the CF and IHA assays if only a single antigen is used.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007231 Infant, Newborn An infant during the first 28 days after birth. Neonate,Newborns,Infants, Newborn,Neonates,Newborn,Newborn Infant,Newborn Infants
D003168 Complement Fixation Tests Serologic tests based on inactivation of complement by the antigen-antibody complex (stage 1). Binding of free complement can be visualized by addition of a second antigen-antibody system such as red cells and appropriate red cell antibody (hemolysin) requiring complement for its completion (stage 2). Failure of the red cells to lyse indicates that a specific antigen-antibody reaction has taken place in stage 1. If red cells lyse, free complement is present indicating no antigen-antibody reaction occurred in stage 1. Complement Absorption Test, Conglutinating,Conglutination Reaction,Conglutinating Complement Absorption Test,Complement Fixation Test,Conglutination Reactions,Fixation Test, Complement,Fixation Tests, Complement,Reaction, Conglutination,Reactions, Conglutination,Test, Complement Fixation,Tests, Complement Fixation
D003586 Cytomegalovirus Infections Infection with CYTOMEGALOVIRUS, characterized by enlarged cells bearing intranuclear inclusions. Infection may be in almost any organ, but the salivary glands are the most common site in children, as are the lungs in adults. CMV Inclusion,CMV Inclusions,Congenital CMV Infection,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalic Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Colitis,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Disease,Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Inclusion Disease,Perinatal CMV Infection,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infection,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Renal Tubular Cytomegalovirus Inclusions,Salivary Gland Virus Disease,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infection,Severe Cytomegalovirus Infections,Infections, Cytomegalovirus,CMV Infection, Congenital,CMV Infection, Perinatal,Colitis, Cytomegalovirus,Congenital CMV Infections,Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infections,Cytomegalic Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Colitides,Cytomegalovirus Inclusion Diseases,Cytomegalovirus Infection,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Congenital,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Perinatal,Cytomegalovirus Infection, Severe,Cytomegalovirus Infections, Severe,Disease, Cytomegalic Inclusion,Disease, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Diseases, Cytomegalovirus Inclusion,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalic,Inclusion Disease, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion Diseases,Inclusion Diseases, Cytomegalovirus,Inclusion, CMV,Inclusion, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Congenital CMV,Infection, Congenital Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Perinatal CMV,Infection, Perinatal Cytomegalovirus,Infection, Severe Cytomegalovirus,Perinatal CMV Infections,Perinatal Cytomegalovirus Infections
D003587 Cytomegalovirus A genus of the family HERPESVIRIDAE, subfamily BETAHERPESVIRINAE, infecting the salivary glands, liver, spleen, lungs, eyes, and other organs, in which they produce characteristically enlarged cells with intranuclear inclusions. Infection with Cytomegalovirus is also seen as an opportunistic infection in AIDS. Herpesvirus 5, Human,Human Herpesvirus 5,Salivary Gland Viruses,HHV 5,Herpesvirus 5 (beta), Human,Cytomegaloviruses,Salivary Gland Virus,Virus, Salivary Gland,Viruses, Salivary Gland
D005260 Female Females
D006385 Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests Serologic tests in which a known quantity of antigen is added to the serum prior to the addition of a red cell suspension. Reaction result is expressed as the smallest amount of antigen which causes complete inhibition of hemagglutination. Hemagglutination Inhibition Test,Inhibition Test, Hemagglutination,Inhibition Tests, Hemagglutination,Test, Hemagglutination Inhibition,Tests, Hemagglutination Inhibition
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000914 Antibodies, Viral Immunoglobulins produced in response to VIRAL ANTIGENS. Viral Antibodies
D000956 Antigens, Viral Substances elaborated by viruses that have antigenic activity. Viral Antigen,Viral Antigens,Antigen, Viral

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