       Document 0005
 DOCN  M9460005
 TI    Effect of foscarnet induction treatment on quantitation of human
       cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in peripheral blood polymorphonuclear
       leukocytes and aqueous humor of AIDS patients with HCMV retinitis. The
       Italian Foscarnet Study Group.
 DT    9404
 AU    Gerna G; Baldanti F; Sarasini A; Furione M; Percivalle E; Revello MG;
       Zipeto D; Zella D; Virus Laboratory, University of Pavia, Italy.
 SO    Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1994 Jan;38(1):38-44. Unique Identifier :
       AIDSLINE MED/94190049
 AB    The aim of this study was to investigate peripheral blood
       polymorphonuclear leukocytes and, whenever possible, aqueous humor from
       65 AIDS patients with ophthalmoscopically diagnosed human
       cytomegalovirus (HCMV) retinitis to determine (i) whether patients
       consistently carry viral DNA and (ii) to what extent foscarnet induction
       treatment decreases viral DNA levels. HCMV DNA was quantified by PCR
       using densitometric analysis of hybridization products obtained from
       external standards and a standard curve from which the number of genome
       equivalents of test samples, normalized by using an internal
       amplification control, was interpolated. Results showed that 56 of 65
       patients (86.1%) were positive for HCMV DNA prior to induction
       treatment. Of 41 of the 56 patients (73.2%) whose blood had become DNA
       negative after induction, only 5 had a high viral load (> 5,000 genome
       equivalents per 2 x 10(5) polymorphonuclear leukocytes) prior to
       induction, whereas as many as 13 of the 15 (26.8%) patients remaining
       DNA positive after induction had a high viral load prior to induction.
       Finally, of the nine patients (13.8%) with DNA-negative blood prior to
       induction treatment, three were shifted to foscarnet from ganciclovir,
       while six were erroneously enrolled in the study. Pre- and postinduction
       aqueous humor samples were obtained from 12 patients; all of these were
       DNA positive prior to induction, whereas after induction, 4 became
       negative, 6 showed a marked decrease in viral DNA, and 2 had nearly
       stable low DNA levels. In conclusion, PCR is a valuable tool for
       etiologic diagnosis and monitoring of HCMV retinitis treatment in AIDS
       patients. HCMV DNA is consistently present in the blood and aqueous
       humor of all patients with HCMV retinitis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250
       WORDS)
 DE    Adult  Aqueous Humor/DRUG EFFECTS/*METABOLISM  AIDS-Related
       Opportunistic Infections/DRUG THERAPY/METABOLISM/  *MICROBIOLOGY
       Cytomegalovirus/DRUG EFFECTS/*METABOLISM  Cytomegalovirus Retinitis/DRUG
       THERAPY/METABOLISM/*MICROBIOLOGY  DNA, Viral/ANALYSIS/*BIOSYNTHESIS
       Foscarnet/ADVERSE EFFECTS/*PHARMACOLOGY/THERAPEUTIC USE  Human
       Microbial Sensitivity Tests  Neutrophils/DRUG
       EFFECTS/METABOLISM/*MICROBIOLOGY  Support, Non-U.S. Gov't  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

