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Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strains can be classified into four genotypes of the glycoprotein B (gB). In a previous study, the gB genotype 1 was found more frequently in bone marrow transplant recipients with nonfatal HCMV infection than in patients who died from HCMV disease [Fries et al. (1994): Journal of Infectious Diseases 169:769–774]. The distribution and cell tropism of different gB types in vivo were investigated. The gB type of HCMV was determined in blood or urine specimen from 76 organ and 47 bone marrow transplant recipients using PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The leukocyte populations (polymorphonuclear leukocytes, monocytes, T lymphocytes, non‐T lymphocytes) of 20 viremic patients were purified by a fluorescence‐activated cell sorter (FACS) and examined for HCMV infection by PCR. Sequence analysis of four randomly selected strains showed that gB types were similar to published sequences and no atypical gB types were found. Within the compartments blood and urine, the gB types were almost equally distributed, whereas the gB type 1, in contrast to gB types 2 and 3, did not infect T lymphocytes in vivo. These data show that the gB type correlates with viral tropism in vivo and thus provides further evidence that the gB variation may indeed influence the virulence of HCMV. J. Med. Virol. 54:75–81, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

The aim of this study was to evaluate pp65 antigen-guided antiviral therapy in preventing human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection in solid organ transplant recipients.

Glycoprotein B (gB) is involved in cell to cell transmission of human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and may be a critical factor in tissue tropism and viral pathogenesis. We analyzed the distribution of the four known gB genotypes of HCMY in 99 HIV-positive patients. 29 patients had HCMV retinitis, and 70 patients had asymptomatic HCMV infection. DNA was isolated from blood, urine, and aqueous humor, and gB genotypes were determined by PCR and restriction analysis. Infections with gB type 1 were less frequent in patients with retinitis than in patients with asymptomatic HCMV infection (17% versus 37%; p = 0.05). Furthermore, the gB type was correlated with dissemination of infection. In patients with HCMV detected in only one compartment (blood or urine) the gB type 1 was found more frequently than in patients with HCMV detected in at least two compartments (p = 0.01). The data show that gB genotypes differ in their association with clinical disease, and indicate that the gB genotype may contribute to the course of HCMV infection.

Most cases of neonatal herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection result from contact with maternal genital tract secretions and are caused by infections with HSV type 2. We report on a fatal HSV-1 infection in a newborn twin presenting with liver failure. The infection was acquired by single contact with an aunt. The route of transmission was proven by PCR followed by restriction endonuclease fingerprinting and DNA sequencing. This report demonstrates that liver failure may be an early and single symptom in life-threatening neonatal HSV-1 infection.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strains can be classified into four glycoprotein B (gB) genotypes, and there has been evidence of differences in viral virulence. In this study, intragenic variability of HCMV gB strains was analyzed. The gB gene was amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction using samples from immunosuppressed patients. The genotype of fragments corresponding to the cleavage site of gB was determined by restriction fragment analysis; fragments corresponding to the N- and C-termini (gBn and gBc) were sequenced and compared with published sequences. At the cleavage site, the four known genotypes were found. Typing revealed four major genotypes at the N-terminus and two at the C-terminus. In 22 of 44 strains, the gB type determined at the cleavage site was different from the gBn or gBc type (or either), indicating that intragenic variability within the gB gene occurs frequently.

Leukocyte populations were purified by fluorescence-activated cell sorter and analyzed for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA and mRNA using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cDNA PCR, respectively. Twenty-two blood samples from 17 patients with active HCMV infection were studied. HCMV DNA was detected most frequently in granulocytes and monocytes but was also found in CD4+, CD8+, and CD19+ lymphocytes. Viral immediate early and late mRNA was found in ficoll-enriched mononuclear cells and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. In 11 samples from 9 patients with active HCMV infection, immediate early mRNA was detected in 8 lymphocyte, 6 monocyte, and 8 granulocyte fractions. Late mRNA was detected in 7 lymphocyte, 7 monocyte, and 9 granulocyte fractions. The presence of viral late mRNA provides strong evidence for infection of these leukocyte populations with HCMV in vivo.