[Comparison between 2 monoclonal antibodies (clones 95/12 and 1C3 + AYm-1) for the detection of pp65 antigenemia associated with human cytomegalovirus].

BACKGROUND: A prospective parallel and blind comparative study was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of two available anti-pp65 monoclonal antibodies (clone 95/12 and the pool 1C3 + AYM-1) for the cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigenemia assay. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We carried out a comparative study of 107 blood samples from immunodepressed patients (renal transplant and AIDS patients) with suspected disseminated infection by CMV. The PMNLs were obtained using the method of sedimentation in saline dextran. Slides were stained by an indirect immunofluorescence assay with two commercially available monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Of the 107 blood samples studied 33 (30.8%) had a positive antigenemia test. The clone 95/12 detected 30 (90.9%) samples and the pool 31 (93.9%), no statistically significant difference was observed in the sensitivity of two reagents (p = 0.42). The values of the mean CMV-positive cell count obtained with the clone 95/12 was 60.6 vs 61.9 with the monoclonal pool (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference was detected between the two commercial monoclonal antibodies. However the pool detected a slightly superior CMV-positive cell count.