Article
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
A widespread virus
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common virus found in people of all ages - more than half of all adults have been infected by the age of 401. CMV is carried latently for life and can be reactivated.
There are three different types of cytomegalovirus infection that require CMV lab tests:
Congenital
Primary
Reactivation
Roche diagnostics has made a commitment to deter the spread of CMV and is continuously monitoring the progression of CMV infections. We have the systems to accurately conduct CMV lab tests and help clinicians support their patients.
What is a CMV diagnosis test?
CMV can be dangerous to people with weakened immune systems due to conditions such as HIV or cancer. It can cause significant health problems in infants. CMV lab tests help identify the virus by checking for signs in the blood, sputum, or other body fluids.
Weakened immune systems are more susceptible
While the virus generally does not cause problems for those with healthy, functioning immune systems, it can have serious consequences for immunocompromised people. CMV diagnostics can spot the virus in people with weakened immune systems. The top risk groups include:
Weakened immune systems due to HIV or cancer.
Recently receivers of organ transplant
Pregnant women with symptoms
New-borns with symptoms
Without an accurate CMV lab test, it becomes incredibly difficult to manage the infection and for clinicians to help patients. It is a virus that can spread quite quickly. It can be transmitted congenitally, through blood transfusion, organ transplantation, or through contact with bodily fluids, including urine, saliva, blood, genital secretions, and breast milk.
20%-60% of solid organ transplant recipients develop a symptomatic CMV infection, typically during the first few months after transplantation2. Patients can be infected through the donor organ, or the virus can be reactivated if previously present.
CMV diagnostics assays clinicians can rely on
Reactivation of CMV after a transplant can be detected quickly and treated using antiviral drugs. When it comes to successfully managing the infection and helping transplant patients enjoy long, healthy lives, consistency in test results plays a vital role.
Roche is committed to helping deter the spread and reactivation of CMV and provides WHO-standardised assays to detect and monitor the progression of CMV infections.
The different types of CMV lab tests
- CMV lab test (older than 12 months)
The most widely available cytomegalovirus diagnosis tests from commercial laboratories are serologic tests that detect CMV antibodies (IgM and IgG). The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is the most common serologic test for measuring antibodies to CMV.
- CMV diagnostics in newborns – Neonates
CMV in newborns is tested through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) on saliva, with urine usually collected and tested for confirmation.
- Transplantation
CMV IgG diagnosis testing is recommended before transplantation to assess CMV risk and guide posttransplant patient management. For patients 12 months or younger, Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) using an oral or urine specimen can help identify infection before transplantation.
- Antiviral resistance
A cytomegalovirus diagnosis test can be warranted in certain situations to test for CMV resistance. This is done through genotypic methods. Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) is a more sensitive method to detect resistant subpopulations than traditional Sanger sequencing.
Informing effective CMV management
CMV infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients following transplantation. Calibrating and reporting CMV DNA viral load in International Units per millilitre (IU/mL) has improved the harmonisation of results from different laboratories.
Despite this, management of active CMV infection is still hampered by the limited commutability of results between reference materials and clinical samples, and a subsequent lack of evidence-based viral load thresholds.
