Objective: To investigate human cytomegalovirus infection and genetic variations in glycoprotein B (gB) in liver transplant recipients in south-east China.
Methods: EDTA-blood samples were obtained from 21 liver transplant recipients. The semi-nested PCR was used to amplify a region of high sequence variability in the gB gene of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) followed by direct sequence analysis.
Results: Out of the 21 liver transplant recipients, 5 were proved HCMV positive 62 to 180 days after transplantation. The nucleotide and encoded amino acid sequences were compared with published sequences of AD169 and Towne laboratory strains. Within the region sequenced, 2 out of 5 strains possessed a peptide configuration similar to that of strain AD169, while another 2 strains displayed a peptide configuration similar to that of strain Towne. One strain had amino acid substitution, which was different from those of both AD169 and Towne in the cleavage site.
Conclusion: Our results provide molecular epidemiological data for HCMV strains circulating among transplant recipients in south-east China.