Expected use
The detection of IgM / IgG antibodies against CMV allows an effective diagnosis of an acute or recent CMV infection. The test is particularly useful for monitoring pregnant women, who have not previously been exposed to CMV and, consequently, are not protected against the virus. Furthermore, the determination of specific IgM / IgG antibodies in the newborn is useful for the diagnosis of congenital CMV infection.
Summary and explanation
Cytomegalovirus is a member of the Herpesviridae family. It is a ubiquitous virus with high rates of infection during the first years of life. At least 80% of the world's adult population carries antibodies to CMV. CMV infection can be acquired through congenital infection, at the time of delivery or later in life after transmission by transfusion of blood, blood products, saliva, and other bodily fluids. Cytomegalovirus infection is primarily asymptomatic.
However, persistent fever, pneumonitis, enteritis, mononucleosis, and hepatitis can occasionally occur. In two cases, CMV infection can cause serious complications. The first case is primary infection during early pregnancy, which can lead to congenital abnormalities in the fetus, and the second is infection in immunocompromised patients, such as organ or bone marrow transplant recipients and people suffering from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
(AIDS). . In transplant patients, CMV is the most common infectious cause of death. In AIDS patients, CMV-induced diseases commonly affect the lungs, intestines, and central nervous system. A serious complication, retinitis, can lead to blindness. Screening for IgG / IgM antibodies to CMV is useful in detecting previous exposure to CMV.Determination of the level of CMV IgG / IgM antibodies at weekly or biweekly intervals also allows the diagnosis of acute infection by demonstrating a significant increase in the antibody titer.
