Eurofins Biomnis code

CMVG

Synonyms

• CMV

Specialty

Infectious

Clinical significance

Cytomegalovirus is a member of the Herpesviridae family. Primary infection is often asymptomatic although it can cause symptoms resembling those of infectious mononucleosis in adolescents and young adults. Subsequently, the virus establishes latent infection which can reactivate at any time. Virus can be found in urine for a long time. Transmission occurs via direct, especially sexual contact and iatrogenic infection has been reported, e.g. via contaminated blood transfusions. In pregnant women, primary infection can be teratogenic with malformation of a variety of different foetal organ systems and severe mental retardation. In immunosuppressed patients (AIDS, post-transplantation), the disease can be disseminated and serious with pneumonia, retinitis, colitis, hepatitis, encephalitis and polyneuritis. Infection can be diagnosed directly by observing infected cells in the blood or BAL fluid, or the virus can be isolated if specimens are kept refrigerated and transported quickly. Semi-quantitative PCR is sensitive and specific and can be useful for monitoring treatment and for detecting viral DNA in amniotic fluid in pregnancies where the mother is infected. Serological analysis is widely used. Primary infection results in seroconversion with the appearance and disappearance of IgM antibodies. Chronic infection is associated with fairly constant IgG levels which do not significantly fluctuate during episodes of reactivation.

Preanalytics

• 1 mL :
• serum
•   Reftrigerated

• A tube specifically for this analysis : No

Further information

Storage temperature (2-8°C) < 7 days during transport of specimen.
On specific request

Methodology

EIA

Turnaround time

2 days