title: Cytomegalovirus DNAemia in pregnant women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cytomegalovirus (CMV) transmission from mother to fetus occurs at a much greater rate following primary rather than reactivated infections and CMV dissemination in the mother is considered a key step in the pathogenesis of fetal infection. However, knowledge of CMV DNAemia in CMV-seropositive pregnant women is very limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Major objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and diagnostic value of CMV DNAemia in a large population of seropositive pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serologic and DNAemia results obtained from 2211 blood samples of 1371 consecutive pregnant women referred to our Institution for suspected CMV infection in the period 2001-2010 were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DNAemia was detected in 452/597 (75.7%) women with serologic evidence of primary CMV infection and in 4/774 (0.5%) women without evidence of primary infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In pregnant women, CMV DNAemia is detected primarily during primary infection. CMV DNAemia determination may be helpful in the diagnosis of primary infection.
authors.affiliation: SC Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy; Fondazione Carlo Denegri, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Grazia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Revello
authors.affiliation: SC Microbiologia e Virologia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furione
authors.affiliation: SC Microbiologia e Virologia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Vanina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rognoni
authors.affiliation: SC Ostetricia e Ginecologia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arossa
authors.affiliation: Laboratori Sperimentali di Ricerca, Area Trapiantologica, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy. Electronic address: g.gerna@smatteo.pv.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerna
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015995:Prevalence; D014766:Viremia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: DNAemia; Human cytomegalovirus; Non-primary infection; Pregnancy; Primary infection