The Best Practices for Screening, Monitoring, and Diagnosis of Cytomegalovirus Disease, Part II

Abstract

Human cytomegalovirus (CMV), a ubiquitous member of the herpesvirus family, is an important human pathogen. Infections are usually asymptomatic but can be associated with a wide spectrum of diseases, particularly in immunocompromised persons. Primary infection during pregnancy may result in congenital infection, leading to severe damage to the fetus. Intrauterine primary infections are second only to Down's syndrome as a known cause of mental retardation. CMV infection in transplant recipients may cause different clinical syndromes in different groups of patients, and the severity of the infection parallels the degree of immunosuppression.

As infections are either asymptomatic or accompanied by symptoms that are not specific to CMV (such as fever and leukopenia), laboratory techniques are the sole means of diagnosing CMV infection. Diagnosis of CMV infection can be made directly by demonstration of the virus or virus components directly in clinical samples or indirectly through serology. Part II of this article focuses on congenital CMV infections, including diagnosis in the mother during various stages of pregnancy and diagnosis in the fetus and newborn.