David Carrington (United Kingdom)
St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Medical MicrobiologyAuthor Of 1 Presentation
COMPARISON OF HUMAN CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (HCMV)-ENZYME-LINKED IMMUNE ABSORBENT SPOT (ELISPOT) AND CMV-QUANTIFERON CELL-MEDIATED IMMUNE ASSAY SERIAL MEASUREMENTS, IN HCMV-SEROPOSITIVE PREGNANT WOMEN IN SOUTH LONDON, ENGLAND
Abstract
Backgrounds:
HCMV-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) is essential in the control of viral replication to prevent end-organ HCMV disease. HCMV-specific interferon gamma release assays, such as HCMV-ELISPOT and HCMV-QuantiFERON, have been used to measure HCMV-specific CMI. In pregnant women, the role of HCMV-specific CMI in controlling viral replication and transmission to the foetus have not been fully investigated. We aimed to perform serial HCMV-ELISPOT and HCMV-QuantiFERON measurements in HCMV-seropositive women during pregnancy.
Methods
HCMV-seropositive pregnant women receiving antenatal care at a tertiary hospital in London (UK) were enrolled. Blood samples were collected at three time-points in pregnancy and a fourth time-point after delivery, and HCMV-ELISPOT and HCMV-QuantiFERON assays were performed on these samples. HCMV-ELISPOT was recorded as responsive or non-responsive, as a spot count, and as specific spot counts to IE-1 and pp65 antigens. HCMV-QuantiFERON was recorded as positive or negative.
Results:
From 67 HCMV-seropositive pregnant women, 105 blood samples were tested with both assays. All women had a responsive HCMV-ELISPOT result on at least one time-point, and 70% (47/67) of women had a positive HCMV-QuantiFERON result on at least one time-point. The two assays showed no overall agreement (Cohen’s Kappa 0.032), although the overall mean HCMV-ELISPOT spot counts to IE-1 and pp65 antigens were higher when HCMV-QuantiFERON was positive than when it was negative (Figure 1).
Conclusions/Learning Points:
In this cohort, the HCMV-ELISPOT assay was more likely than the HCMV-QuantiFERON assay to detect HCMV-specific CMI in HCMV-seropositive pregnant women. This may have implications for optimal CMI monitoring in this important population.
