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Prenatal diagnosis of congenital human cytomegalovirus infection
Author(s) -
Nicolini Umberto,
Kustermann Alessandra,
Tassis Beatrice,
Fogliani Roberto,
Galimberti Andrea,
Percivalle Elena,
Revello Maria Grazia,
Gerna Giuseppe
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1970141002
Subject(s) - amniocentesis , medicine , prenatal diagnosis , cytomegalovirus , human cytomegalovirus , amniotic fluid , pregnancy , fetus , obstetrics , gestation , in utero , betaherpesvirinae , herpesviridae , pediatrics , viral disease , immunology , virus , biology , genetics
Fifteen fetuses at risk of congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection underwent prenatal diagnosis at 16–30 weeks' gestation by a combination of amniocentesis and fetal blood sampling. HCMV was isolated from the amniotic fluid in six patients, but HCMV‐specific IgM was detected in only three of them. Two of the nine neonates, who were delivered following a negative prenatal diagnosis, had congenital HCMV infection diagnosed by virus isolation in the urine. The interval from infection to prenatal testing was 3 and 4 weeks in the two false‐negative cases and ⩾ 7 weeks in the true‐positive cases. Although timely testing for HCMV infection allows the option of termination of pregnancy, it may be flawed by false‐negative results.