3.3 Correlation between UL21.5 mRNA in plasma and HCMV DNAemia
or viremia
There was a significant correlation between plasma UL21.5 mRNA levels
and WB DNAemia or PL DNAemia (Fig. 3A and B). The correlation was
similar to WB DNAemia or PL DNAemia (R=0.67). The viremia (i.e. the
number of leukocytes carrying infectious virus) was determined in 24
samples. The correlation between UL21.5 mRNA in plasma and viremia was
weaker (R=0.44; Fig. 3C). In particular, UL21.5 mRNA was also detectable
in samples with undetectable viremia.
Considering cut-off values of 104 copies/ml for WB DNAemia or 103
copies/ml for PL DNAemia, 75% of samples positive for UL21.5 mRNA had
WB and PL DNAemia values above these cut-off values (Fig. 4).
Conversely, only a few samples that were negative for UL21.5 mRNA had
DNAemia values above 104 or 103 copies/ml WB or PL (10% and 25% of
samples, respectively).