[Economic evaluation on diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus infection by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction in neonates].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the cost-effectiveness of the diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) in neonates.


METHODS
Serum CMV immunoglobulin M (CMV-IgM) and CMV-IgG were detected using ELISA in 610 neonates aged less than 14 days. CMV DNA content was detected by FQ-PCR. The cost-effectiveness analysis was then performed.


RESULTS
The positive rate of FQ-PCR in neonates with positive CMV-IgM was 42.9% (15/35), while, 2.9% (16/547) in neonates with positive CMV-IgG. The mean logarithm values of CMV DNA in neonates with positive CMV-IgM were higher than those in neonates with positive CMV-IgG (5.79±1.24 vs 4.11±0.87; P<0.01). The costs of the diagnosis of CMV infection by FQ-PCR were 256 RMB/case in neonates with positive CMV-IgM, and 3 760 RMB/case in neonates with positive CMV-IgG.


CONCLUSIONS
The CMV DNA content in neonates with positive CMV-IgM is higher than that in neonates with positive CMV-IgG. Diagnosis of congenital CMV infection by FQ-PCR in neonates with positive CMV-IgG is not suitable for large scale epidemiological survey because of high cost-effectiveness ratio.
Neonatal Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. liluquan456@yahoo.com.cn
Lu-Quan
LQ
Li
Jia-Lin
JL
Yu
Jun-Jie
JJ
Tan
D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000652:urine; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000652:urine; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000652:urine; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M