Human Cytomegalovirus: detection of congenital and perinatal infection in Argentina

Abstract

Background: Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most commonly found agents of congenital infections. Primary maternal infection is associated with risk of symptomatic congenital diseases, and high morbidity is frequently associated with very low birth weight. Neonates with asymptomatic infection develop various sequelae during infancy. This is the first Argentine study performed in neonates with congenital and postnatal HCMV infection. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique with different pairs of primers, to detect cytomegalovirus isolated in tissue cultures and directly in urine and dried blood spot (DBS) specimens. Results were compared with IgM detection.

Diagnosis of Human Congenital Cytomegalovirus Infection by Amplification of Viral DNA from Dried Blood Spots on Perinatal Cards

“…Several groups of investigators have used conventional PCR to amplify HCMV DNA extracted from blood spots on perinatal cards. 4 -7,10 -14 The most recent studies 7,14 used the method of Barbi and colleagues, 4 which involves heat extraction followed by a nested PCR reaction amplifying the HCMV glycoprotein B (gB) gene and detection by agarose gel electrophoresis. This method was 100% sensitive and 99% specific compared with viral culture in 509 babies with congenital HCMV infection defined by culture.…”

Detection of Cytomegalovirus DNA in Dried Blood Spots of Minnesota Infants Who Do Not Pass Newborn Hearing Screening

“…16,17 Secondly, DBS PCR has been used as a modality in some study populations to screen all newborns for CMV infection. 18,19 Most studies have used sensitive nested PCR techniques to optimize identification, although some recent studies have also used real-time PCR techniques. 20 It is not yet clear that DBS PCR is sufficiently sensitive for universal newborn screening for CMV.…”

Discrepancy in impact of maternal milk on vertical transmission between Hepatitis B virus and Human cytomegalovirus

“…5 About 10-25% of infants are infected by the age of 6 months following transmission from their mothers via the placenta, during delivery, or by breastfeeding. 6 Approximate 10% of congenitally infected infants will develop neurological impairments, permanent hearing loss or vision loss. 7 The presence of HCMV and HBV particles and DNA in breast milk has been confirmed for decades.…”