[Use of polymerase chain reaction for detection of human cytomegalovirus in blood samples of children with suspected active infection with cytomegalovirus].

The aim of our study was to assess the applicability of the PCR technique for detecting HCMV DNA in blood and urine samples from infected children. The sensitivity of agarose gel electrophoresis (ethidium bromide staining) and RNA hybridization (DSSS system), the two methods used to detect PCR products, were compared. HCMV DNA was detected by the DSSS system and gel electrophoresis in 31 and 29 blood samples, respectively, taken from children with suspected infection. HCMV DNA was also detected in 29 urine samples of 31 tested children, including 5 newborns (not older than 14 days) excreting HCMV in urine and manifesting clinical signs of infection. Specific anti-HCMV antibodies were detected in 22 (71%) of the tested children.