Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common infection, and although serious disease is rare in immunocompetent individuals, CMV is a major pathogen for immunocompromised patients, including solid organ transplant recipients, hematopoietic cell transplant recipients, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, and patients treated with immunomodulating drugs.
The range of clinical disease due to CMV in immunocompromised patients is broad and includes febrile syndromes, hepatitis, pneumonitis, retinitis, encephalitis, esophagitis, and colitis. Since the signs and symptoms of CMV disease often overlap with other infectious processes and rejection, the diagnosis is made by integrating the clinical history, clinical presentation, and laboratory data. Because CMV produces lifelong latent infection, distinguishing active disease from latent infection and asymptomatic reactivation presents an additional diagnostic challenge.
High levels of plasma CMV DNA are closely correlated with clinical disease in immunosupressed patients. Virus quantitation may be used to predict or identify CMV disease.
If a diagnosis of CMV in an immunocompetent patient is required, serology is the test of choice.
Microbiology - Virology
QCMV
Dedicated EDTA tube
If sample is not EDTA, register DCMV
CMV DNA quantitation
CMV Titre
Cytomegalovirus viral load
3 days
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