Antibody response to individual cytomegalovirus structural proteins in different groups of subjects.

The antibody response to cytomegalovirus structural polypeptides in sera from three groups of acutely infected subjects was analyzed. Differences in number and types of polypeptides were noted. Immunoblotting could be used to distinguish sera from patients with acute cytomegalovirus hepatitis from convalescent sera by the detection of antibody to viral proteins of 82, 66, 62, and 55 kilodalton molecular weight at a high serum dilution.