The current study was designed to quantitate human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)
DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of persons with
AIDS with specific HCMV-related
CNS disease.
DNA present in CSF obtained from
AIDS patients was initially detected by a qualitative PCR procedure and then quantitated using a competitive PCR assay. In a group of 21
AIDS patients with HCMV-related
CNS disease, 12 patients with HCMV
polyradiculopathy had a mean +/- SEM of 11,982 +/- 4,480 copies/microliters in their CSF compared to 1,747 +/- 929 for 9 patients with HCMV
encephalitis p = 0.017). Of the 14 patients with > 1,000 copies/microliters of HCMV
DNA in CSF, 11(79%) had HCMV
polyradiculopathy including all 3 with > 10,000 copies/microliters.
Ganciclovir treatment of 3 patients with HCMV-related
CNS disease was associated with a decline in HCMV
DNA detectable within CSF. These data indicate that quantities of HCMV
DNA in CSF are higher in persons with HCMV-related
polyradiculopathy than
encephalitis, and that quantitation of HCMV
DNA can be useful in monitoring
antiviral therapy.