title: Detection of congenital cytomegalovirus infection by real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of saliva or urine specimens.
abstract: Viral culture of urine or saliva has been the gold standard technique for the diagnosis of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. Results of rapid culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of urine and saliva specimens from 80 children were compared to determine the clinical utility of a real-time PCR assay for diagnosis of congenital CMV infection. Results of urine PCR were positive in 98.8% of specimens. Three PCR-positive urine samples were culture negative. Results of saliva PCR and culture were concordant in 78 specimens (97.5%). Two PCR-positive saliva samples were culture negative. These findings demonstrate that PCR performs as well as rapid culture of urine or saliva specimens for diagnosing congenital CMV infection and saliva specimens are easier to collect. Because PCR also offers more rapid turnaround, is unlikely to be affected by storage and transport conditions, has lower cost, and may be adapted to high-throughput situations, it is well suited for targeted testing and large-scale screening for CMV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics Department of Microbiology.
authors.forename: Shannon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
authors.forename: April L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
authors.forename: Marian G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ohio State University-Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus.
authors.forename: Pablo J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.affiliation: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.affiliation: Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Saint Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Tolan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics.
authors.forename: Nazma
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chowdhury
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama.
authors.forename: Karen B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics Department of Microbiology.
authors.forename: Suresh B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Boppana
mesh_terms: D003587:Cytomegalovirus; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology*; D014776:Virus Cultivation / Q000379:methods
keywords: Diagnosis; PCR; Urine; congenital CMV; saliva; viral culture