Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a betaherpesvirus that can be pathogenic to humans. In particular, immunocompromised patients can develop life-threatening symptoms. In the present study, HCMV seroprevalence was investigated in a rural population of Western Côte d'Ivoire. Plasma samples collected from 166 apparently healthy subjects living in 8 villages surrounding the Taï Forest National Park were tested for anti-HCMV immunoglobulin G and M antibody with two commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Prevalence of anti-HCMV IgG and IgM antibody was 100% and 5.4%, respectively. Anti-HCMV IgM positive was 10.2% (5/49) of the children and adolescents and 3.4% (4/117) of the adults. This observed decrease of IgM seropositivity and the seroprevalence difference between males and females (3.8% vs. 6.1%) was not statistically significant. In plasma of one IgM-positive participant, a low CMV load was detected indicating low-level replication. A second IgM-positive participant showed signs of local CMV replication. The other seven IgM-positive plasma samples likely reacted nonspecifically or due to polyclonal stimulation. Taken together, the results indicate that HCMV infection is hyperendemic in Côte d'Ivoire.
Keywords: Côte d'Ivoire; IgG; IgM; cytomegalovirus; rural population; seroprevalence.