Flø RW, Haukenes G, Nilsen A, Skjaerven R, Forsgren M, Fehniger TE. Longitudinal study of cytomegalovirus antibodies in individuals infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 1995;
14:504-11. [PMID:
7588823 DOI:
10.1007/bf02113428]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antibody profiles were studied in 25 HIV-infected patients over periods of up to 56 months. Specific antibodies against CMV antigen components were monitored by complement-fixation (CF) test, EIA, Western blot and a neutralization assay. Three subjects remained CMV seronegative throughout the study. Marked fluctuations were observed in anti-CMV antibodies assayed by the CF test as compared to a control group. Fluctuations on immunoblots of purified virion antigens were also observed in the HIV-infected patients; neutralizing antibodies and anti-CMV nucleocapsid antibodies showed less variability. Seven of 22 individuals exhibited an increase in CF-test titre of up to 64-fold without clinically apparent CMV disease. On Western-blot testing of IgG reactivity with disrupted virions, ten individuals exhibited increasing reactivity to pp65, and only three of these also showed a titre rise in the CF test. In contrast, 7 of 22 showed low reactivity to the pp28 antigen. The homosexual patient group exhibited the highest levels of anti-CMV antibody. In conclusion, many asymptomatic HIV-infected subjects showed fluctuations at different levels of their antibody response to CMV, thought to be indicative of CMV reactivation/reinfection. Western-blot findings indicated that some CMV antibodies increased in level while others were lost.
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