Saliva as a source of HCMV DNA in allogeneic stem cell transplantation patients.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of saliva for the identification of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients by real time PCR compared with blood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Saliva and blood samples were sampled weekly in 30 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients until 100 days after transplant. Total genomic DNA, extracted from saliva and whole-blood samples, was used for HCMV real time PCR. Nonparametric tests were performed, and P value