Cytomegalovirus p65

Ten to forty percent of the patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) develop cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. In some patients with AIDS, CMV is detected in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), urine, and other specimens, even when there are no symptoms of CMV disease. An indicator of active CMV infection is needed to facilitate the CMV disease in patients with AIDS or HIV infection. CMV p65 antigen was detected in the leukocytes of both the peripheral blood and BALF during the early phase of CMV disease.