IgM to human cytomegalovirus: comparison of two enzyme immunoassays and IgM reactivity to viral polypeptides detected by immunoblotting

J Clin Lab Anal. 1989;3(3):169-73. doi: 10.1002/jcla.1860030307.

Abstract

IgM detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the most used method of establishing a cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection during pregnancy. In this paper, we discuss the results obtained assaying 1,000 sera from pregnant women by two ELISA kits: a traditional indirect ELISA and a more recent IgM-capture ELISA. All the sera that gave a positive ELISA value with one or both kits were further tested by immunoblotting (IB) to establish which CMV polypeptides were detected by IgM antibodies. From the results obtained, IgM-capture ELISA seems less sensitive than indirect ELISA, but correlates better with serological evidence of active CMV infections as judged by typical IB profiles.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Viral / analysis*
  • Antigens, Viral / immunology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cytomegalovirus / immunology*
  • Cytomegalovirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin M / analysis*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Viral Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antigens, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin M
  • Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
  • Viral Proteins