Detection of cytomegalovirus infection by means of DNA isolated from paraffin-embedded tissues and dot hybridization.

A specific and rapid method for detecting the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA in formalin- or mercuric chloride-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue has been developed. With dot hybridization with a biotinylated CMV DNA probe, the presence of CMV infection can be readily detected even if only a minority of the cells in the tissue block are infected. The sensitivity is further increased by about two orders of magnitude if high specific-activity 32P-labeled probe is used. This method of detection is more sensitive than histologic diagnosis, appears to be roughly comparable to that by virus isolation in culture, and should be applicable to the detection of other infectious agents.