This validation of a dried-blood spot assay for CMV antibodies will facilitate its broad inclusion in population-based surveys and other studies collecting biomarkers in non-clinical settings, increasing scientific understanding of the interaction of social and biological stress and immune function. Since most standard laboratory protocols require serum or plasma, assay protocols must be developed specifically for DBS and validated for accuracy, precision, reliability, and limits of detection. The collection of dried blood spots (DBS)-drops of whole blood on filter paper from a single finger prick-has recently become a popular minimally invasive technique for collecting biomarkers in population surveys. This paper describes and validates a minimally invasive method for assessing antibodies against CMV in dried whole blood spot samples.
Increasing evidence suggests that the persistent herpesvirus cytomegalovirus (CMV) plays an important role in human immunosenescence, meriting special attention in studies designed to understand stress, immune function, and health. Age-associated alterations in systemic immunity, referred to as 'immunosenescence', are thought to contribute to the increased incidence and severity of infectious disease in older persons, as well as decreased response to vaccination. Immune system decline is one of the hallmarks of aging.
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