Detection of Genotype-Specific Antibody Responses to Glycoproteins B and H in Primary and Non-Primary Human Cytomegalovirus Infections by Peptide-Based ELISA

Background: Strain-specific antibodies to human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) glycoproteins B and H (gB gH) have been proposed as a potential diagnostic tool for identifying reinfection. We investigated genotype-specific IgG antibody responses in parallel with defining the gB gH genotypes of infecting viral strains. Methods: Subjects primary (n = 20) or non-primary 25) HCMV infection were studied. The seven (gB1-7) two (gH1-2) determined by real-time PCR whole genome sequencing, measured peptide-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Among subjects infection, 73% 8) infected gB1-HCMV 63% 5) gB2/3-HCMV had (gB2 gB3 are similar region tested). Peptides from rarer gB4-gB7 nonspecific responses. All gH1-HCMV 86% 6) gH2-HCMV developed women detected 40% 10) 80% subjects, respectively. Conclusions: Peptide-based ELISA is capable detecting gH, could be adopted reinfections. However, about half did not gB.