Rapid detection of cytomegalovirus structures in cerebrospinal fluid and brain biopsies by polymerase chain reaction.

The joint application of stereotactic brain biopsy and DNA amplification methods, like the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are diagnostic purposes that allows in approximately 24 h to clarify the viral etiology of central nervous system infections. We demonstrate PCR results from the brain biopsy of an HIV-1 patient with two cerebral lesions. Beside the neuropathological diagnosis of a B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma the experimental results are indicative of active transcription of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in cerebral tissue. The markedly higher amount of CMV-specific RNA found in the biopsy specimens and CSF suggest the presence of an active infection with viral replication. CT-guided stereotactic brain biopsies followed by PCR fulfill the demands of a clinician, namely to get the results as fast as possible to initiate adequate treatment.