[Rapid diagnosis of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in a renal transplant recipient by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)].

We used the PCR method to detect CMV-DNA in serum, urine, and peripheral blood of a patient who had received a renal transplant. A correlation was found between the active stage of the infections and the serum level of CMV-DNA. While no correlation was found in urine or blood. To detect CMV-DNA as early as possible, the serum samples were prepared by glass powder treatment and subjected to PCR followed by nonradioactive DNA hybridization. Moreover, to increase the sensitivity of detection a nested PCR method was employed and we found that the PCR-products were easily detected on the ethidium bromide-stained gel without the following hybridization. Thus, PCR in serum would be useful for rapid diagnosis of the infection and monitoring anti-viral drug therapy.