No abstract

No abstract

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was applied to detect cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA. Two pairs of synthetic oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify DNA from the immediate early 1 and the late antigen genes of CMV, respectively. Either primer sets could detect as few as 0.01 plaque-forming unit of CMV strain AD 169 by Southern blot hybridization. Sixteen CMV clinical isolates were examined and all were found to be positive by the both primer sets. The PCR was used to detect CMV DNA in peripheral blood from six children with elevated anti-CMV antibody titers, who showed abnormal liver-function tests. In three immunocompromised patients, all blood samples were positive for CMV DNA. In three immunocompetent young infants with primary CMV infection, CMV DNA was detected from peripheral blood of one patient during acute phase. Presence of CMV DNA in peripheral blood seemed to be related with the extent of CMV infection, and possibly diagnostic for CMV hepatitis.

SUMMARY For the early diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis IgG and IgM antibodies to herpes simplex virus in cerebrospinal fluid were measured by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a local production index was calculated. Using these three criteria, 31 cases of various neurological illnesses were analysed. All eight cases of herpes simplex encephalitis were diagnosed correctly in the acute phase, and there were no false positive results.